ICC Cricket World Cup

Hmm.. Sachin?

Come on Sri Lanka! Only because of Murali. He's a chucker but he's been great for cricket and a top fella. Last World Cup for a cricketing legend.

Went to an Australia v Sri Lanka ODI in Adelaide a few years back, there's nothing more fun than being part of 30,000 fans yelling "No ball!" whenever he bowls

India clawing their way back into the final here!!!!

Favourites now.

32 from 32.

Could get nervy this!!

GETTTTT INNNN!!!!!!!!

India won ! India won .... awesome innings by Dhoni and Gambhir ! Sad about our result ;( ! But still so happy for Sachin and co. !

Congratulations to India.

Very good side.

Bow down to the Champions!

Was sitting in a lounge all day watching the match with family. Terrific match, especially for a final. Had given up at 31-2 with the two big shots gone. But credit to the captain MS Dhoni and Gambhir for finishing it.

Nothing like Cricket to unite the people of India. Will post some pics tomorrow of the after-match celebrations. Haven't seen scenes like this in my life.

Well done India.

Congrats going out to my mother country. All my relos over there will be going beserk!

We won we won we won!!!De ghumake.

I turned this off early. When India lost their main man early on I though that's it. Turn on the news this morning and they've won. Well done

This Indian Batting lineup might be the Best EVER in the ODI History.

Invincible comes to Mind.

Yeeahh!! Chak De! De Ghumake!

This Indian Batting lineup might be the Best EVER in the ODI History.

Invincible comes to Mind.

Not to sure, my pick would be either the Aussie team or South Africans of the late 90s, no one could touch them.

And still one of the best semi-finals of all time was during the world cup in England, Australia V South Africa.

Congrats to India, the current best team in the world.

Certainly ONE of the best batting line-ups ever. No doubting the Australian line-up of the 90's but this current team has a place of their own.

You've got one of the most destructive batsmen in Sehwag, unsung heroes like Gambhir ( who mind you is not even playing in his natural position ), youngsters like Raina and Kohli who have come good in the WC, MS Dhoni ( never been a fan of his batting but he showed in the final what he can do ), the ever so vibrant and fantastic Yuvraj Singh  and the best batsman Cricket has ever produced- Sachin Tendulkar.
All have played atleast one match-winning innings in the tournament.

Hard to argue against the fact that they are the best lineup.

And still one of the best semi-finals of all time was during the world cup in England, Australia V South Africa.

That was the best match ever played in a WC, let alone a semi final.

Certainly ONE of the best batting line-ups ever. No doubting the Australian line-up of the 90's but this current team has a place of their own.

You've got one of the most destructive batsmen in Sehwag, unsung heroes like Gambhir ( who mind you is not even playing in his natural position ), youngsters like Raina and Kohli who have come good in the WC, MS Dhoni ( never been a fan of his batting but he showed in the final what he can do ), the ever so vibrant and fantastic Yuvraj Singh  and the best batsman Cricket has ever produced- Sachin Tendulkar.
All have played atleast one match-winning innings in the tournament.

Hard to argue against the fact that they are the best lineup.

Suppose I was arguing from the ever point. India need to push on and dominate now, that'll show how good a line-up they have.

It's ok doing it in one tournament, they need to do it again and again, thats what the best do!

India did fully deserve to win, not arguing that fact and fully enjoyed watching Dhoni yesterday come in with that will to win.

This Indian Batting lineup might be the Best EVER in the ODI History.

Invincible comes to Mind.

Someones high on WINNING!

Soak it up though mate, love the feeling. Just don't go too far

Well done India though, a team I hate when we play them but one I have utmost respect for. Means we lost to the eventual champs which is always soothing as a defeated team

EDIT: And yeah Jindal, may be the best line up right now - but they are a long way off being regarded as the best ever. And id also like to debate the best batsman cricket has ever produced. Ever heard of Sir Donald Bradman?

I suppose BigV and Huyton make the right point that the team needs to continue this batting form for some time now. Agreed that one tournament doesn't make it the best ever team.
Maybe when we come to England and win the test series on your soil, your views might change.

Ang BigV I was so expecting someone to mention Sir Bradman.

See no one is denying that Sir Bradman was a great batsman.
But 14000+ runs in test cricket, 18000+runs in one-days, 51 test centuries, 99 centries test and one-days put together, holding practically half the records in world cricket, playing over 21 years of cricket and still going strong, carrying the Indian team on his shoulders for years now. And now after winning the biggest prize in cricket, I think its high time people recognise him as the best batsman and not just 'another good batsman'.

P.S. For a complete list of his achievements, contact me or refer to the internet.

Of course he is a great batsman, ONE of the best. And of course his record is gonna be inflated - a lot more cricket is played these days! In Bradman's days you had to spend a month on a boat to tour England. Can you imagine that? And yet he still played F***ing brilliant. Did you know Bradman almost died in England after getting appendicitis as well? He also had to take time off Cricket during a world war to do service (not frontline though). Yet he still came back after that and led 'the invincibles' tour of England.

Quite simply, if you say Bradman aint the best then i think you are plain wrong. I aint even gonna say its opinion, its wrong. An average over 52 international test matches (again pointing out the less cricket played in those days) of 99.94 is unbeatable, and quite phenomanal. Ask any cricket fan from anywhere who knows his stuff, they will tell you nothing can beat his record. 29 centuries and 13 50's in those 52 matches as well. And in a total of 669 innings of first-class cricket in his career, his average was 90.27. You tell me any modern player who could play 669 innings of cricket and average that? No one could. Sachin himself would say his record pales in comparison.

I would say Sachin is the second greatest ever, without a doubt. I love him. Hate him against us, but love him as a man and a player But he should never be regarded as greater than Bradman.

1) Sir Bradman did play very less matches, but that's not anybody's fault. Cricket that time was different, especially from travelling point of view.
You say a lot more cricket is played these days? All the more tough. Physically and mentally.

2) There's no point talking about averages. Its harder to maintain such a high average over hundreds of matches ( talking international cricket here ). You can play 1 match score 200 and there goes your average.
Still, Sachin has an average of 57 in tests, 45 in ODIs, and 60 in First Class cricket. Tell me if anyone can match that over hundreds and hundreds of matches.

He had a dip in form some years back, and came back even stronger. At this age, too!
The fact that he is still playing makes people think: 'Oh, its too early to say he is the best ever'. I've seen that. But playing at the top of your form for 21 years is no mean feat.
After achieving all that cricket has got to offer, setting tons of new records for years now if you still aren't the best batsman ever then probably no one can EVER be better than Sir Bradman in your opinion? Because I doubt you'll get a player who can match Sachin anytime soon.

Its just like the Maradona-Pele thing. People will have different opinions as to who is the best. Its an endless debate.

No one can be better than that. If someone gets close, then well done. But regardless of the amount of cricket, i don't see that as a valid argument. There were different factors at play to hinder them in those days - like i said, he almost died! His wife who spent a month traveling over to meet him actually heard a false report he died at one stage! Obviously he didn't, but he had to spend months recovering from that. Medicine, injuries, travel - everything was much more arduous back then. And if its so different - then why did no one else back then even get close to him? Thats how F***ing good he was. No one in ANY era has gotten close to his average. The next closest is 60-odd. From eras before, or after - no one close. The argument of a different time doesn't fly, because in his time he blew everyone away. He would bloody well do the same now as well.

You can keep talking the big run totals, whatever. You included first class cricket in your stat up there - i pointed out that in all forms of first class cricket, Bradman still averaged 90. Look at Bradmans career, please.

I fully believe that no one will ever better Bradman. Everyone else believes that as well, every time i hear pundits talking his name is still mentioned as a comparison - 'Bradmanesque' is the term. You tell me any player from any other sport who transcends time like that? Theres none. Bradman was, and always will be in my opinion, the greatest player to ever play the sport. Sachin right now is second on the list, and like i said - he would acknowledge thats his rightful place as well i think.