Sunday, June 27, 2010

Soccer Teams In Cricket

So as I watched England get thrashed by Germany today, I had the notion that England are a lot like India in cricket. Overhyped team, overpaid stars, a domestic league that is all glitz and glamour without being good. So I continued the train of thought, if each cricket team had to have a football substitute, which ones would they be?

India:

No doubt this is England. The IPL in India is what EPL is to English soccer - a league with lot of money and lot of talent, but not of the home team. Substandard quality but each time the World Cup comes around, they are supposedly the favourites. Until they go home.

Pakistan:

It's a tie.





Fighting between the team and coach, divisions within the team, charges of match fixing in the domestic league, the captain meeting with the President after another bad World Cup, yet on their day they can be mercurial and beat the best of the best, and yet flop the next day.

It's France and Italy for Pakistan.

Bangladesh:

They are the Cameroon. Always young players, always full of potential, always with a lot of promise, always exiting at the first round, always promising to "build on this". Living off one glorious run past the group stages of a bygone World Cup - that's Bangladesh for you.

South Africa:


Spain. An all star team. One of the firm favourites to win.

Crucial must-win match.

Chokers.

Enough said.

Sri Lanka:

Despite their pedigree and previous history, this team always flies into the World Cup with low expectations. Their players love each other and click as a team, and somehow ALWAYS manage to find a way into the finals or semi-finals, no matter what their pre-tournament form is. So fluid, a pleasure to watch, and thrilling when they win.



And with their record of crushing minnows, there is no doubt - Germany are the Sri Lanka of football.

Australia:

The big question.

Always the champion.

Always manages to find players to instantly slot into the team and be a world class player.

It takes a genius from the other team having an extra ordinary day with all the luck clicking to knock them out.

Any time.

So....

... just who are the Australians of world football?

No doubt....

there can only be one team.

BRAZIL.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing your soccer cum cricket bites! Now I'm a little more literate in this field :)

Enjoyed the comparisons as well.Esp this,

'"Always young players, always full of potential, always with a lot of promise, always exiting at the first round, always promising to "build on this" '

Lat

'liya said...

We watched the England vs Germany game and it was great :D

Dave said...

Great blog - made me laugh. Thanks.

Az said...

hahahaha! I think these pics are hilarious! Great job on them.

I'm rooting for Spain... for no other reason than I have all the apparel - the jacket, scarf, flag, wrist band etc - a gift from my uncle :D

mezba said...

Lat, yup, now you can watch cricket and be knowledgeable in that! :-)

Liya, poor England. I mean, they were really poor! It was great to watch Germany, fast, fluid and precise! Today's Spain vs. Portugal should be a good one.

Dave, thanks.

Azra, all the best then today, vs. Portugal!

Abu Pokemon said...

It makes me wish that they had Cricket Lego. There is one for soccer but its hard to get and expensive.

mezba said...

Abu Pokemon, ah if only!