If you ask my opinion, it was not as happening and interesting tournament as it was in the England edition, not because it wasn't won by Pakistan but because the manner this tournament was played and the amount of crowd came into the stadiums to watch the matches, secondly being a cricket watcher I didn’t had that suspense element in any of this tournament matches like we had in England where there were many upsets (like Netherlands beating England etc), in this tournament the only nail biting match played was between Australia v Pakistan Semi Final 2 played on 14 May 2010 which was a nail biting one, you can also call New Zealand v Sri Lanka opening match played 30 April 2010, which you can say was filled with suspense and increased television ratings.
Secondly was the timing of the tournament, all the matches were played in West Indian day timings, which didn’t generate that much of interest as we’re accustomed to watch majority of T20 matches under artificial lightings, just look at the difference during the Semi Final played between England - Sri Lanka and Australia – Pakistan and followed by the female version of T20 Semi Finals which were played under artificial lights and resulted in more crowd in the evening games compared to the day games played.
Today too, while I am writing this Australia – England grand final game is being played at Kensington Oval Barbados, which ofcourse is a day game and on the other hand Kiwis – Australia Female T20 final is going to be played in the evenings, and which will generate more crowd to the stadiums compared to the day game played between Australian English men.
Compared to the last tournament, England – New Zealand Female T20 final was played earlier and Pakistan – Sri Lanka Male T20 final was played in prime time which increased the overall television ratings.
Apart from the timings issue, it was overall a good tournament compared to the last one in 50 over games played here, which was too much lengthy and stretched like a plasticine and it ended in one and the half months time, having too much traveling and too much gaps in between the matches and irony of fact, the expected Pakistan - India Match was played between Ireland and Bangladesh respectively, which decreased the interest in the crowds, plus mismanagement was seen during the final when it was concluded in darkness and led Australia being the winner and I remember it was the last CWC tournament which was played by Hayden, Gilchrist, McGrath, Langer etc for Australia and like many players wanted they end their career on high by winning another official ICC trophy to be decorated in Cricket Australia shelves, 3rd 50 over CWC trophy and 2nd consecutive i.e. winning 2003 and 2007 CWC.
So hope the better team wins, and as far as Pakistan concern 2012 T20 World Cup which is to be played in Sri Lanka I suppose, Pakistan is again in a tough group with South Africa and an associate nation is lined up with them in group D (if seeding system is followed), lets hope by that time Pakistan team plays some good cricket as by the time I am writing this, more action is seen in appellate tribunal courts compared to action on cricket grounds. Just keeping my fingers crossed and hope for the best for 2012 ICC World T20 and yeah, who can forget the ICC CWC 2011.
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