The big one Down Under

The author brings you a bird's-eye view of the ICC Cricket World Cup that starts next week in Australia and New Zealand

Title defence: A bridge too far?
At the World Cup, for India it's so often a case of either the abject or the sublime. The 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean -where India's sole victory came against lowly Bermuda - was deemed a national catastrophe. On home soil four years later, India stitched together the perfect World Cup. Egged on by partisan crowds at stadiums and millions of fans watching on television, India reminded the world of what a limited-overs powerhouse it is. Spurred on by Gautam Gambhir and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni against Sri Lanka in the final at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, India strolled their way to a first world title in 28 years.

  As of now, India is the second ranked one-day international team in the world after Australia. At least on paper, India is one of the firm favourites for the crown. But anybody who has followed India's fortunes over the last couple of months would know that an onerous task awaits the men in blue in Australia and New Zealand. Winless for over two months in both ODIs and Test matches, batsmen and bowlers both equally out of form and an inscrutable unsureness around team composition - these are just some of the unwelcome predicaments Dhoni finds himself staring at. The only thing in India's favour is that they've been camping in Australia for nearly three months now, giving them a distinct advantage over other teams in terms of acclimatisation to both the weather and the pitches Down Under.

For India to repeat the heroics of 2011, the top order will have to start delivering, while the bowlers must find a way to bowl out oppositions on seamer-friendly tracks. Going by India's recent slump, a charge to the semi-finals would be a terrific performance. But the fervid Indian cricket fan would be desperate for more.

The curtain call

In the last decade and a half, several players have burst on to the Sri Lankan cricket scene, dazzled and then made muted exits. But there have been two constants: Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. The World Cup will be the limited-overs swansong for both these stalwarts.

An also-there cricket nation till the early 1990s, Sri Lanka's win at the 1996 World Cup changed the face of the island nation. They have been a force to reckon with in every major tournament since. Driven by the hurt of imploding in the final of the last two editions, the Lankans would want to give the perfect farewell gift to two of its greatest batsmen.

Shedding the "chokers" tag

June 17, 1999, Edgbaston: Damien Fleming runs in to bowl to Lance Klusener. South Africa are nine wickets down and need one run off three balls to make their first World Cup final. Klusener digs out a fullish delivery from Fleming and scampers to the other end. Allan Donald is watching the ball. Mark Waugh picks the ball up and throws it to Fleming. He sends it underarm to Adam Gilchrist, who removes the stumps. Donald is run out by a country mile. The match is tied. Australia are through to the final.

This is possibly the most iconic image of the World Cup in the last 20 years. Many believe that the Proteas should have won the World Cup that year. Always one of the favourites before every tournament, it's time for South Africa to shed the "chokers" tag. Led by AB De Villiers, the Proteas look like the strongest side in the tournament. The World Cup may well see a new champion.

That man AB!

We always knew that Abraham Benjamin De Villiers was a rare talent. But little did we know that the genius of the man was so paranormal that he would smash a hundred in just 31 balls in a 50-over match. Against the West Indies at the Wanderers in Johannesburg last month, De Villiers scored the fastest century in limited-overs cricket. He ended up with a stupefying 44-ball 149.

Given his knack for fast centuries, one would imagine De Villiers to be an old-fashioned slogger who belts the ball with brute force. He is anything but that. A player who possesses an almost unrivalled range of shots, De Villiers is the kind of batsman you'd want out in the middle if your team is at 20 for 3 or at 200 for 1. He can hit the perfect straight drive and follow it up with an audacious lap shot for six over fine-leg to some of the fastest bowlers in the world. The best batsman in the world at the moment, De Villiers can take the World Cup by storm.

Bookmakers' favourites
If we went by what the bookmakers said in 1983, Kapil Dev and his men would have never won the World Cup. Bookmakers in London offered India 50:1 odds against India winning the cup. Clive Lloyd's imperious West Indies were the overwhelming favourites. But India battled the odds, along with Michael Holding and Co., to script a miraculous run of results.

In 2015, the bookies are a tad kinder to the Indians, offering odds of 7:1 for another world title. According to British bookmakers William Hill, Australia and South Africa lead the pack with odds of 2:1 and 7:2 respectively. Co-hosts New Zealand are close behind with odds of 11:4. The bookies may have written off India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, but the other teams must do so at their own peril.

War hardened

In war-ravaged Afghanistan, cricket is a powerful form of expression. For some, it is an irresistible attraction that takes them far away from the ignominy and savagery of war. The country's national cricket team is a symbol of national unity. Cricket in Afghanistan has been played for several decades, but this is the first time the national team has qualified for the 50-over World Cup. Mohammed Nabi, Asghar Stanikzai, Najib Taraki - names you've probably never heard of - are ready to announce themselves at the biggest stage of them all. Afghanistan play their first match against Bangladesh at Canberra's Manuka Oval on February 18. They may not reach the top, but just watching them compete should be an experience in itself.

Consistently inconsistent

"Play like a cornered tiger" is what Imran Khan told his young Pakistani team during the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. And play like a cornered tiger they did, surprising everyone by beating England in the final and lifting their maiden World Cup. With Pakistan, one gets the feeling that they come into every major tournament like that cornered tiger, desperate to overcome the brickbats. But their greatest strength is their unceasing ability to astonish.

Often dubbed as the most inconsistent team in world cricket, Misbah-ul-Haq's side looks dangerous as always, but may not possess enough firepower to upset the top guns. Mohammad Hafeez, Younis Khan and the ageless Shahid Afridi form the core of a team that was handsomely outplayed by New Zealand in their recently concluded two-match ODI series. Drawn with India and South Africa in Pool B, Pakistan's performance will hinge on how their youngsters fare.

The changing rules of the game
The new rules enforced by the International Cricket Council in October 2012 will have a serious bearing on how teams approach the tournament. The new rules allow only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle instead of the earlier five, a move that may prompt captains to rely less on the services of part-timers. With the rules heavily stacked in favour of the batsmen, teams would be tempted to go in with five specialist bowlers in order to pick up wickets.

However, the use of two new balls will provide batsmen with a stern challenge on fast and bouncy pitches. While the last World Cup saw spinners play a prominent role on slow and low decks, fast bowlers will be at the forefront this time around.

The magic of MCG

At the 1956 Olympics, it was the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where India clinched its sixth consecutive gold in hockey. Randhir Singh Gentle scored the winner in a narrow 1-0 victory over Pakistan. In 1877, the first ever officially recognised Test match in the history of the game was played at MCG between England and Australia. The ground also hosted the first ever ODI match, which was played between the same two teams. One of the greatest sporting arenas in the world, it is only fitting that MCG will host this year's World Cup final. With more than 100,000 rapturous fans likely to cheer the finalists, the match on March 29 is sure to be a spectacle.