5 things at the 2015 World Cup that left us stumped

#3 Drop-in pitches, boring matches

The batsmen making money was thanks to the drop in pitches and two new balls used. ICC are conscious of making their tournaments be played on good batting wickets, but after 38 centuries, seven scores in excess of 150 and two double centuries (all world cup records), there is danger of cricket being too one sided.

The two new balls significantly reduced potency of reverse swing specialists as well as finger spinners. Frequent rain breaks in key games also tilted the games in batsmen’s favour more often than not. Hence most games were over as a contest well within the 60 overs mark, out of the possible 100 overs. The chasing team, looking at gigantic scores would take risks too soon and lose way too soon. It was too much predictable pattern.

In group stages of WC 2011, India played a tie with England, a few days later they lost a thriller to South Africa in the 100th over. Each of India’s knockout games, four years ago, were alive till the 85th over at the least – with opposition having equal chance to win.

But in WC 2015, barring six games featuring South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh and England, all other games between the top eight nations was all but over by the 75th over of the match. Lack of thrillers, especially in the knockouts was a big damper. The expectation from an event hosted in Australia and New Zealand, was similar to 1992, the balance between bat and ball will be more even, but strangely that wasn’t the case.

Infact in WC 2015 the run rate was 1 run per over more than the next highest, WC2011, which is a significant jump.