T20 cricket had always been perceived as a threat to Test Cricket and ODI cricket, sane cricket if you will, by ‘true and old’ cricket fans. T20s were thought to have no competition with the actual rigors and metal toughness required in the game and the World Cup was viewed by the experts as an understudy to the 50 over tournament. The true essence of cricket wasn’t satisfied, but the overwhelming support for T20s has kept them right up there as a viable form of cricket. This T20 World Cup stands way above the rest, in exposing cricket’s problems and nullifying the previously persisting ones, while revealing new advantages.
The case for the Associate cricket has definitely been strengthened not only by the way Afghanistan played- the only team who managed to beat the ‘Champions’, but by the way the other teams vociferously competed and the captains conducted themselves. The emotional, passionate and expressive press conferences played just as much of a role in convincing the fans of the importance of Associates as the way Oman, Netherlands and Scotland played. It seemed as if the teams were participating in a World Cup of themselves, and the unpredictability suggested that no team is safe enough to be termed as the best, just like among the Test Nations. Every team can disappoint, spring a surprise or two, or be as consistent as some of the big boys. Surely, there is just one way UP as far as the development and the quality of the Associate cricket is concerned. On the field as well through their words, strong signals have been sent to the ICC about its treatment of these players and strong revelations have been made. They have gained even more support in this quest to include Associate cricket. Surely, the calls would be fulfilled by the ICC.
Colloquially been termed as a game for fearless and expressive hard hitting batsman, we saw Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Quinton De Kock and Marlon Samuels top the charts, with the BIG names of T20 specialists and whirlwind hitters missing from this list. All these 4 players play all 3 formats for their teams and have established themselves in each. They prevailed shearly because of their skills and endurance came more to the fore in testing circumstances, on predominantly bowler’s friendly conditions which created a balance between bat and ball. More than 10 years since its introduction, T20 continues to baffle as it trumps all the pre conceieved notions we hold about the game. It was a game for the young, yet the 35 year olds Marlon Samuels and Samuel Badree have been crucial for West Indies chances, 36 year old Ashish Nehra has been India’s best bowler and 34 year old Shane Watson is the top ranked allrounder. And, now players who were neglected and dismissed before in terms of the requirements of the format, have been the top scorers. T20 cricket has slowly but surely opened its arms wide enough to enshroud and interest every type of cricketer to be a part of it, establishing a previously inconsistent and absent link between the 3 formats.
T20s are now not dismissed as they were, and have some newfound respect which was lacking from teams like India, Australia, England and New Zealand, who hadn't made preparation a top priority with astonishingly low international matches played in the precursor of the tournament. Just like First Class Cricket and Test Cricket have a thick line of distinction, more of the same has been perceived between the domestic and international T20 matches. We saw the perfect code for T20 pitches in this tournament, with pitches with a tinge of green, as well a tendency to crack, which coupled with the dew factor and the humid conditions created a perfect balance. There were a fair share of anomalies also, like the Nagpur pitch where the India New Zealand match was played, or the Mumbai pitches and the Kolkata Pitch for India Pakistan. There were a fair share of controversies too, like the tickets and management issues, the Dharmshala controversy for the India Pak game, some of the vivid press conferences and many more such incidents. But, at the end of the day, cricket proved out to be the real winner yet again, and this tournament had all the perfect ingredients to make the impact that it created as well the future implications that arise as a cause of this.
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