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Indians are supposed to be obsessed by three things — politics, cricket and cinema, or so the cliché goes. With the elections coming to an end — after an exhausting and often vituperative seven-phase campaign — the focus is now back on cricket. The cricket World Cup started exactly a week after the Modi government returned to power at the Centre. India began its campaign with a comfortable win against South Africa. Of course India was also extremely lucky to be playing its first World Cup match after other teams had played their second matches. The Indian team would have certainly enjoyed the delayed start as that gave enough time for the team to rest after the end of the IPL’s 12th season. So who are the favourites to win the cup? On paper both England and Australia look formidable. India are certainly a good enough team to reach the semi-finals. But those of us old enough to remember the mighty West Indies team of the 1970s and 1980s would love to see the Windies winning it again. As a friend of mine recently said, “West Indies are the Brazil of cricket, always the sentimental favourites.” Recently, videos of the diminutive Alvin Kallicharran whacking the fiery Dennis Lillee all around the Oval in the 1975 group stage match went viral on WhatsApp. Also, who can forget Viv Richards hoisting Mike Hendricks for a last ball six in the 1979 World Cup finals?
The West Indies started the tournament well with a thumping win over Pakistan. In Oshane Thomas, Sheldon Cottrell, Kemar Roach and Shannon Gabriel, West Indies now have a pace attack with serious menace — enough to impress even former Australia captain Steve Waugh. In Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite they have world class all-rounders, and Jason Holder has proved to be an inspiring captain. The old war horses Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo bring in the required experience, and newcomers Shimron Hetmeyer, Nicholas Pooran and Shai Hope are exciting young prospects.
So will the West Indies win the Cup and gladden the hearts of the old-timers?
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