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Willie Sutton, the famous American criminal, was questioned about his pension to steal the banks. He stole them, “he explained:” Because that’s where it’s money “.
These words double to explain why the Champions Trophy, the Zombie Cricket tournament, comes back. He was killed three times. However, it was relaunched, this time after an interruption of eight years, because it is worth several hundred millions of dollars in the international broadcasting contract of the International Cricket Council.
Around the world, the essential economic forces of the game are the same: the value of broadcasting rights for international cricket which does not imply Australia, England or India stagnates as best as possible and drops in real terms . To compensate for this shortfall, nations have used two approaches: to build their own national tournaments of short forms; and relying more and more on ICC revenues. The ICC generates its money from the sale of rights to world events. As such, he returned to the staging of a marquee male tournament each year: the T20 World Cup every two years, the World Cup Odi all four and the Champions Trophy every four.
Of these three, the Champions Trophy is the least appreciated and the least prestigious. However, the meaning of the ninth version of the tournament is raised by the simple fact of the place where it is staged. For the first time since 1996, Pakistan – the reigning champions, after having overthrew India at Oval in 2017 – organizes a world event. The crowds will be dynamic, even for neutral games.
However, the accumulation was marked by chaos which has become a basic food of recent CPI events. Extraordinarily, tickets were published in general sale only 22 days before the opening match. The delay reflected a delay wait to publish the list of devices, some doubt about whether the stadiums would all be ready in time and a completely more important question: if India would agree to cross the Wagah border.
The long telegraph response was no. All the matches of India will be in the place in Dubai. In an unprecedented situation in any major sports tournament, the place of the final will only be known less than five days before the match. If India qualifies, Lahore will be stripped of hosting the detour, which will be switched to Dubai. The case is still another encapsulation of the place where power is in international cricket today.
Afghan controversy will not disappear
It is not only the shock of India with Pakistan in Dubai that will have a deeper political resonance. The same goes for Afghanistan fights with Australia, England and South Africa, in the midst of calls for a boycott of the team due to Taliban domination and the abolition of rights women. Afghanistan barely missed a semi-final at the 2023 World Cup when they defeated England in Delhi, and reached the last four of the T20 World Cup from last year. If Afghanistan corresponded to these projections, they could involuntarily stimulate more debate on their very presence in the events of the ICC.
India, as it is now the default, will start as a favorite, even with the irrepressible Jasprit Bumrah injured. During the T20 World Cup, they finally put an end to their expectations of 11 years to win a world event and will now expect to add a 50 -collection trophy on their collection.
However, there is an unusually open feeling at the tournament. With only three group games per side, countries must win only two games to progress to the semi-finals. Conversely, two defeats will send a team at home: the antithesis of the 2023 World Cup, when England has lost six times during the endless group phase.
The curious status of Cricket Odi today gives the Champions Trophy an even more unpredictable sensation. Since the loss of the 2023 World Cup final, India has only played nine ODI. None of the eight competitive teams in the Champions Trophy has played more than 14 games. Even these were generally played at full power, the ODIs used as a privileged opportunity for players to rest – or, more and more, enrich by playing instead in the franchise cricket. No ODI side will never be as well managed as the 2015-2019 England vintage, which appreciated the luxury of 88 ODI between the World Cups, the vast majority with a complete side.
But an axiom in ODI tournaments will remain: the sides that show the most adaptability will be best placed to prosper. Pakistan is the most score country of ODIs since 2015, the teams are frequently able to release 100 in their last 10 Overs. CPI events tend to attend lower scores, partly because of the reused arguments. The staging of competition through Pakistan and Dubai, which tends to be more respectful of the rhythm, creates greater uncertainty.
The result is a tournament which, for all the outstanding questions, should bring an abundant plot on the ground. In these days of inflated competitions, the very brevity of the Champions Trophy – only 15 games, reflecting the format used in the inaugural World Cup 50 years ago – guarantees that matches will be played for high issues from the start. The following three weeks promise to recall the best of game 50 – a format which, at its best, can combine the slow combustion tension of the test cricket with the Razzmatazz of T20. They could even show that the zombie cricket tournament has more merit than simply generating money.
Champions trophy predictions
Winner: New Zealand
India, rightly, is strong favorites. But New Zealand knows the Pakistani conditions and has experienced excellent preparation, beating the hosts to win the final of the trisères last week. Matt Henry, Will O’Rourke and the Skipper Mitchell Santner are a nice contrasting attack. The first order combines Elan from Rachin Ravirae with the mastery of Kane Williamson before the power of Glenn Phillips and Michael Bracewell to death. More than anything, New Zealand seems well enriched to adapt – essential given the recent rare of ODI and the tournament which takes place in two different countries.
Tournament player: Matt Henry
One of the most skillful sailors in world cricket, and a particular threat with the new ball, Henry savor his new status as a New Zealand attack chief after the pensions of Trent Boult and Tim Southee.
Most races: Shubman Gill
Fresh of a sublime series ODI against England, Gill should savor the conditions of striker in Dubai. The tournament is looming as its chance to dominate a world event, imitating Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Most counters: Kuldeep Yadav
Its attractive rotation will be an essential threat to take a counter for India in the middle of the middle. The rotation of the wrist with left arms is the rarest art of the game; In white ball cricket, Yadav could be the best practitioner to date.
What I can’t wait to …
While the ODI World Cup at 10 teams can be an SLOG, with nine group group games, the Champions Trophy contains Andendets with high stakes from the very first ball. A team can only afford to lose a match if it wants to progress in the semi-finals.
