Gulf News staff, belonging to the 13 of the 14 cricket playing nations,hazard a guess ... We could not find a West Indian on our rolls, but judging by the answers, the choice would have been a patriotic one ...
Here are the predictions:
Having won only two of their last 16 50-over games, New Zealand has successfully lulled the cricketing world into complacency. The work the lads have put in to mastering the art of reverse swing bowling behind the scenes will pay dividends and the Black Caps will storm into the last rounds and defeat India in the final!
Adrian Pickstock
Publishing Director, Al Nisr Media
New Zealander
In my living memory I have never heard of the Dutch team winning the cricket World Cup. Football and hockey yes; but never cricket. I predict that either England or India could win. However, with their humongous fan base in the UAE the Indians stand a better chance. May the best team win! In a country with several nationalities like the UAE, it will be yet another reason for all of us to celebrate.
Nirmala Janssen
Publishing Director, Supplements and Contracting Publishing, Gulf News
Dutch
I have fond memories of hitting sixes in the backyard with my grandfather when I was a boy. But dreams of cricketing stardom are quite common for a South African youth and mine faded away many years ago. I recall Jonty's [Rhodes] magnificent dive, Herschelle [Gibbs] smoking something silly and Hansie's [Cronje] tragic plane crash. But aside from that I'm completely out of touch with the game today. So with no insight whatsoever and a sprinkle of South African pride I predict that it will be Proteas all the way at the 2011 World Cup.
Jaye Lentin
Video Editor, Gulf News
South African
Well, we all know what happens when Ireland wins a game at the World Cup — coaches die! So I expect there to be a few dead coaches because we all know that with a wee bit of the luck of the Irish, the boys in green will cause an upset or two. And even if we don't win it, we'll still have some fun!
Mick O' Reilly,
Deputy Managing Editor, Gulf News
Irish
Having been labelled the country of "minnows" for a long time — it's time for the Royal Bengal Tigers to roar and to put a stop to this. With all-out home support, backed by solid government incentives and investment behind them, they have absolutely no excuse for not making it to the top. If it has to be them, then this is the year. However, cricket is a game of uncertainty and I am not going to spend time in predicting the champions. This year I hope one of the non-cup winners get a chance to lift the cup — be it the Kiwis, the Proteas... and the Bongs, sorry Tigers. Although my brain will be with the winners, my heart will be with the underdogs. All said, I am going to watch the matches to enjoy — not to put money on a particular team. At the end of the day, I don't have much to bet, or lose...
Saifur Rahman
Business Editor, Gulf News
Bangladeshi
To be completely honest, I've never held a cricket bat in my life. My hometown of Belleville, Canada, is hockey nuts — I grew up playing shinny on local ponds and watching my Habs win the Stanley Cup repeatedly in the 1970s. That said, Canadians love underdogs and they will be rooting for the Canadian cricket squad and our top man John Davison who is expected to knock a few balls out of the park this time ‘round. Break a leg, Canada.
Derek Baldwin
Business Features Reporter, Gulf News
Canadian
Kenya being my country well renowned for being champions in athletics at the Olympics, victory has become a common thing and during the competition if you walk down the streets of Nairobi all you hear are cheers and heckles of "It is gold again!!" As cricket is a new sport, we have become good at it and hope that this time around we can celebrate a win. I vote as a patriot for my country as we enter this competition.
Anthony Macharia,
Support Desk Co-ordinator,Al Nisr Publishing
Kenyan
I've never really been into cricket, priding myself on being a football man. Even though Zimbabwe have appeared out of sorts since 2002, I am still a patriot through and through. However, the real competition will be between the Aussies, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and England. Australia won the last three World Cups but they still lack a first-class spinner. Pakistan and Sri Lanka hold the advantage in this regard. My money rests closer to home — South Africa.
Kuda Chikwanda
Copy Editor, Gulf News
Zimbabwean
I'm sure it was Confucius who said we should never underestimate the Australian cricketer when he's cornered. Reigning champions Australia enter the World Cup this year still licking their wounds from a humiliating Ashes defeat. Hot favourites India are smelling blood and bound to thrive on home crowd advantage. But when it comes to defence, Australia are resilient. They're likely to surprise the pundits who've written them off this year, and perform under pressure with a good, old-fashioned routing on the subcontinent.
Emma Bladen
Copy Editor, Gulf News
Australian
I think Pakistan has a good chance to win the World Cup, as they have nothing to lose, hence keeping the pressure away. Pakistan has a pretty decent side with a nice mix of young talent and experienced players. They just need to play their natural game. As for Sri Lanka and India they have home ground and crowd advantage, but this can easily turn into a disadvantage due to high expectations from the home crowd! I wish the best of luck to all three of them, as they are the only hope to bring the World Cup back to Asia.
S.M. Arshad
Senior Designer, Gulf News
Pakistani
Sri Lanka has got the correct combination once again with a very sensible guy leading from the front. A bunch of experienced, matured, reliable and very active guys in the team with favourable playing conditions of sub-continent pitches — advantage Sri Lanka. Being played together for a while the chances are high that they will bring back the memories of 1996. The physical and mental strength of the whole team is also an advantage.
Mohammed Farzan
Procurement Administrator, Gulf News
Sri Lankan
It's a wide open tournament but I'm backing England to win. It's been something of a roller-coaster month for the English as a series of injuries have bitten, but there is still plenty of quality in the squad, although Eoin Morgan will be a huge loss. England were recently embarrassed in the ODI series against Australia but I wouldn't read too much into that, believing the players' focus was elsewhere after the Ashes. There might be the odd scare on the sub-continent, but if the English can get the momentum going like in the T20 World Cup campaign then the motherland of the game could be celebrating another milestone very soon.
Jon Rhodes
Deputy Sports Editor, Gulf News
British
Much as the experts say that it's going to be the most open tournament ever, I think it has to be one of the teams from the sub-continent. I will stick out my neck and say Pakistan because in the new format, a team just has to win just three matches once they qualify from the group league stages. They have the fast bowlers who can get the reverse swing, quality spinners — but have to watch out for those well known dramatic collapses. Yes, the heart says India, but the pressure of playing at home will not be easy to beat.
Gautam Bhattacharyya
Acting Sports Editor, Gulf News
Indian
