Tag: India vs South Africa

  • Cricket World Cup 2015 creates new records of reach & popularity

    Cricket World Cup 2015 creates new records of reach & popularity

    MUMBAI: The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 has become one of the most popular sporting spectacles in the world. With two double-centuries, seven scores in excess of 150 and 38 centuries, there has been no shortage of batting prowess on display in Australia and New Zealand over the past seven weeks. And 28 four-wicket hauls, including two hat-tricks, mean the bowlers have played their part, too.

     

    On the field, players and team officials have reported being delighted with the quality of pitches, outfields and training facilities. The pick of the group stage matches from an attendance point of view was the India versus South Africa game on 22 February at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at which there were more than 86,000 people cheering on their respective teams, a phenomenal result given that neither of the host teams were involved.

     

    The news doesn’t stop there as people have been tuning in to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 in greater numbers than ever before. Broadcast by 44 licensees, in seven languages across 220 territories, the India versus Pakistan group match drew an approximate television audience of more than 288 million in India alone, while the Australia versus England match was watched by 2.1 million people in Australia.

     

    There are 10 radio licensees broadcasting the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 matches live into 80 territories and for those following the tournament on new media, the website has attracted 26.25 million visitors accumulating an incredible 227 million page views, which is a significant increase on any previous ICC event. And the tournament app has so far been downloaded 3.6 million times and has been the number-one sports app in no fewer than 48 countries.

     

    ICC chief executive David Richardson said, “These numbers provide a tangible measure of the success of the event – this Cricket World Cup has been the most followed and best attended cricket event in history. All over the world, hundreds of millions of fans have been enthralled by the quality of cricket on show, the exploits of the world’s top players and the colour of the festival across both host nations.” He further added “With nearly 1,400 members of the media attending the event, it’s fair to say that, all in all, the cricket-loving public around the world have been very well served. And we now look forward to a fitting finale on 29 March – hopefully another special occasion for the game.”

  • Chatter around India-SA match 30% lower than India/Pak match: MEC report

    Chatter around India-SA match 30% lower than India/Pak match: MEC report

    MUMBAI: Team India so far has been on a winning spree at the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The winning moments on field have also been translated on social media where fans have expressed their excitement on various platforms. 

     

    On 22 February when India won against South Africa the chatter around the match was 30 per cent lower than that of the much talked about India vs Pakistan match, according to a report prepared by MEC.

     

    The report states that the hashtag #IndvsSA garnered only 0.2 million mentions as compared to the hashtag #IndvsPak at 0.3 million mentions. Further another hashtag, #cwc15, garnered 0.1 million mentions for both the matches. 

     

    Shikhar Dhawan was the most talked about player during the India vs South Africa match, but received almost half the mentions as compared to Virat Kohli during India’s clash against Pakistan.

     

    Sports brand Nike’s “#bleedblue” campaign continued to be the most talked about brand mention, but received only 40 per cent mentions compared to that during India and Pakistan’s match. Official broadcaster Star Sports campaign #Maukamauka gained talk value during India vs South Africa with their new TVCs says the report.

     

    In its concluding remarks the report states that it is clear that no match generates as much excitement and engagement as an India vs Pakistan match.

  • Anil Kumble to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

    Anil Kumble to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

    MUMBAI: Former India captain and one of the most versatile wrist-spinners to ever play the game Anil Kumble, and Betty Wilson, one of the greatest women’s cricketers of all-time, will be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 match between India and South Africa at the MCG on 22 February.

     

    Kumble, with 619 Test wickets, is the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket after Muttiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708), while his 337 wickets in ODIs ranks him in ninth position on the all-time list of most successful bowlers in that format. Kumble captained India in 14 Tests between 2007 and 2008, winning three and losing five.

     

    In the 138-year history of Test cricket during which 2,156 Tests have been played to date, Kumble is one of only two bowlers after England’s Jim Laker to have taken all 10 wickets in an innings. He achieved this feat against traditional rival Pakistan in New Delhi in February 1999.

     

    Kumble made his Test debut in 1990 in Manchester and his final appearance was in New Delhi in October-November 2008. During his career, Kumble played 132 Tests and 271 One-Day Internationals. Apart from his 619 Test and 337 ODI wickets, Kumble also scored 2,506 runs in Tests and 938 runs in ODIs.

     

    Wilson, a former Australia batter, played 11 Tests between 1947 and 1958 in which she scored 862 runs at average of 57.4 and took 68 wickets at 11.8 per wicket.

     

    On her debut against New Zealand at the age of 26 in 1948, she scored 90 and took four for 37 and six for 28. In her second Test, she scored 111 against England, becoming the first Australia woman to score a Test century against England, and took nine more wickets. Against England in 1957-58, she became the first cricketer, male or female, to score a century and take 10 wickets in a Test. Wilson passed away on 22 January 2010, aged 88.

     

    Kumble and Wilson will be formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame during the innings break in the India versus South Africa match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday 22 February. International Cricket Council (ICC) director and chairman of Cricket Australia, Wally Edwards, will present Kumble with his commemorative cap, while Wilson’s commemorative cap will be received by her nephew, Ken Wilson, from ICC chief executive David Richardson.

     

    Kumble, who is now the chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, is the fourth India cricketer to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame after fellow former captains Bishen Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar were inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.

     

    The process for the selection of players into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame started last year when the ICC chairman invited all the living ICC Cricket Hall of Famers to send their nominations. The ICC Nominations Committee reduced the long-list to 10 men and three women cricketers. The short-list was then sent to the Voting Academy, which included representatives of all the 10 Full Members, media representatives from all the 10 Full Members, Associate & Affiliate Member, women’s cricket and FICA representatives as well as living ICC Hall of Famers. The ICC collated the nominations and forwarded the ballot papers to the auditors who provided the final results.