Editor’s note: Man cannot live by economics alone. While Simon still has his finger on the pulse of economic reports for the CSRA, for now, he is focused on his mother country’s #1 sport.
In case you missed it, the T20 cricket world cup started on Saturday when the USA beat Canada in Dallas!! Yes, a cricket world cup (there are two) is being played in America (and the West Indies). Games will also be played in New York and Fort Lauderdale.
The T20 format is the shortest version of the game with each side facing 20 overs or 120 balls (think baseball pitches). Each game lasts about 3 ½ hours. Twenty teams have qualified and placed into four groups of five. Along with USA and Canada, Group A also contains India, Pakistan, and Ireland. A much-anticipated matchup will see India play Pakistan in New York on Sunday. They will play on a pitch that was grown in Australia and shipped around the world.
The current world champions are England, but their preparations have been hit by typical English weather, with two of their warmup games against Pakistan rained out. Moreover, they went into the last 50-over World Cup as strong favorites and failed abysmally, finishing seventh. I still have hope, but as Ted Lasso says, “It is the hope that kills you.”
Other strong contenders are the other two powerhouses of world cricket, India and Australia. Australia is the current 50-over World Cup holder and will be only the second team (after England) to hold both World Cups simultaneously if they triumph on June 29th. India is at the top of the T20 rankings and will be out to prove a point after losing the 50-over final to Australia in India.
You can watch all the games live on Willow TV.
