So it's the tournament that all of SE has been waiting for, the Twenty20 world cup, starting tomorrow in the West Indies. American viewers can see it on DirectTV PPV for the low low price of $125, or you can go to one of those unnamed online streaming sites like everyone else. The NFL Sunday Ticket is $315, so when you consider that you can get 15 days of exciting cricket action for under 40% of that price, it's practically a bargain.

Basically this form of cricket is exactly like baseball with the games only lasting like 3 hours and most games being like 55-45 flips, unlike the 5 day version where the better team usually wins. Hell, Zimbabwe just won two in a row in the warmup matches, but I think they have a good team for this format. Ray Price (Nick Price is his uncle) is a beast! Who knows who will win, the only thing that's certain is that if India or Pakistan get knocked out early there will be people burning effigies of the coach and players and accusing them of match fixing.


Groups:
Group A Group B Group C Group D
Pakistan (1) Sri Lanka (2) South Africa (3) West Indies (4)
Bangladesh (8) New Zealand (7) India (6) England (5)
Australia (9) Zimbabwe (10) Afghanistan (11) Ireland (12)

Predictions:

Super Eights:
Group E Group F
A1:Aus B1:SL
B2:Zim A2:Pak
C1:Ind C2:SA
D2:WI D1:Eng

Ind vs. SA
Aus vs. SL

Ind vs. SL

Ind

Afghanistan hwaiting

Bump for tournament kickoff in around 10 minutes....

Big Australia fan, LOL hard at Brett Lee missing the tournament. I cant get over how much I hate the guy, has that sense of entitlement that unfortunately is in a lot of Australian sportspeople...

First game is Sri Lanka vs New Zealand. I like SL as a roughie for the tournament. Their country has a lot of issues, but they are pretty deep in both batting and bowling, plus Kumar Sangakkara is one of my favourite bats...

Also, love the contrast between the IPL and this tournament, a few people holding flags and thats it compared to the lights, the fireworks and over-doing of the IPL.....

My dough is on Australia, but as mentioned, a lot of variance means that all the teams can win it...

All teams except Afghanistan. LOLAfghans....

So tips

Australia and Pakistan
Sri Lanka and NZ
India and South Africa
West Indies and Ireland ONE TIME!!11!111111!

Australia to win from someone else in the final...

Oh, and

cool anthems bro...

Looool Ireland are in this.

Surely LOL Afghanistan >> LOL Ireland...

Ireland made the last 8 of the last world cup, admittedly having the advantage of a high variance format compared to previous tournament opening group stages.....

Also, why the hell cant Australia host a major cricket tournament sometime soon... The last we held was in 1992 for the cricket World Cup... Since then we havent hosted any of the 50 over World Cups (1996, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 due to host in 2015 IIRC) And neither of these 20/20 cups 2007, 2009, 2010...

In contrast Asia area (India, Pak and SL) would have had two major WC's, England 1, South Africa one of each and West Indies one of each.... rigged IMO...

Im Irish

this is like the most open tournament ever. wickets are going to be slow and low. i really don't fancy australia or south africa who are normally favourites. the wickets just won't suit them and australias squad is strongly weighted in favour of fast bowling.

i agree with ashley that sri lanka have a really good chance, jayawardene has been opening in domestic cricket and ipl and scoring loads of runs and although murali and dilshan werent particularly good in the ipl their team is ideally suited for the conditions.

basically any of the 8 top teams can win this and zimbabwe and afghanistan could cause an upset. zimbabwe are full of spinners and afghanistan have overtaken ireland in the associate nations and have some really good players.

im really excited because i think england might actually have a small chance although pietersen is going home if we reach the semis apparently because his wife is expecting a baby

Still I maintain my belief in LOLAfghanistan...

Kiwi's starting with a spinner. Not a bad tactic ala 1992 World Cup with Patel opening the bowling.

Slow pitches will make things interesting...

Those anthems were just lol. Look on Vettori's face was priceless. Also, that guy is sporting one hell of a neck beard.

Pitch seems really slow.

totals are going to be like 120-135 generally i think

Jesse Ryder is the hero for fat men everywhere. Looks like Babe Ruth imo.

he is no mark cosgrove....

Could be an epic finish here.

Wow, epic choke if SL lose this


NZ need 4 off 3

Sick game, awesome running at the end by NZ, terrible running by SL. Lol at commentators, Vettori going for the 2 there was so +EV.

Sarwan so classy against spin, almost one of a kind the way he pushes the ball around in the middle overs. Can't believe he can't get a spot in the IPL.

lolol solid jinx.

Ireland looking good here! Taking big wickets at any rate.

lolol there goes another one!

great move by Porterfield bringing Rankin in for an over there sensing they could really put big pressure on if they get another wicket.

WI suck against bad teams, they can handicap any game to make it interesting.

Brilliant spell from Dockrell only 17 years old too wow. 3-16.

17 year old rookie wrecks windies.

unfortunately that brings pollard in and 120 should be enough on this wicket to beat ireland giving irelands recent poor form. obv i hope ireland win especially as west indies have been complacent with their selection resting gayle and benn with minor injuries

Windies have enough already more than likely, if they struggle to 140 it's a lock.

These Irish players are really, really white. Like, wow. Does the sun shine in Ireland?

Such a terrible rule, no free hit on the beamer which is extremely dangerous, while stepping an inch over the line which is basically no advantage is a free hit.

yea that rule is gonna be changed very soon, no one likes it. Beamer should clearly be free hits.

This is why you don't schedule big tourneys in WI

Rain is probably gonna be a factor in like 20% of the matches.