CWC - 2015 , from a Neutral fan's point of view

Raining sixes, Crazy singles, Inside edges, Cries of Catch it, Marvelous wins, Shameful defeats

Very familiar phrases, only if you are a true Cricket fan

The Storm has hit the Oceania region this time around, 2015 Cricket World Cup

It's been almost two weeks since it started so Here i am analyzing each team's chances in a neutral fan's perspective, I'm Sri Lankan but not a biased one ;)

Tournament is 12 days and 18 matches old now so it indicates what we can expect from the coming weeks for some extent

West Indies went down to Ireland shockingly but not unexpectedly and next match come with all the guns blazing to beat Pakistan comprehensively

With all the odds against them, India makes a serious case for retaining their title with huge wins against arch rivals Pakistan & Pre-tournament favorites South Africa

Sri Lanka nearly having a embarrassing defeat against whole-hearted Afghans

In Group A, it's hard to expect a minnow fairy tale really despite you might see Afghanistan and Bangladesh fighting hard occasionally

So i'm expecting Australia, New Zealand, England and Sri Lanka to make it to quarterfinals in the respective order

Group B is pretty exciting though with Ireland comes to the contention and Pakistan losing their shape

Expect an early exit for Pakistan which means Ireland will slots in to the 4th Quarterfinal spot following India, South Africa and West indies in the order

That leaves us with four mouth watering Quarterfinal matches to be played at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Wellington

Australia vs Ireland- Undoubtedly easiest possible QF, you wanna guess the winner?

New Zealand vs West indies - Playing at home with a pace attack hailed as best of their history and with a aggressive tactician as captain to batsmen to back it up you really can't look beyond kiwis, can you? Yes a rare Gayle storm can destroy everything but i'm backing Baz lead side to make it through to semis

South Africa vs England - Other teams might get so envy of Proteas for having to face an under-performing poms side, yet this game might go to the wire making our nails to be pruned because of South Africa's love affair with the C-tag but i hope they will cross the hurdle successfully this time around

India vs Sri Lanka - Finally yet another clash between South Asian neighbors with a history of counter punching each other in the big stage, As for the showing of the group stages India must be the clear favorites but Sri Lanka always has something in their tank for big occasions, This might be their chance to spoil the Indian party in Australia

So that makes our two all important Semi finals

Australia vs South Africa - May be two best ODI sides in the world suited two these kind of pitches and grounds clashing head to head here in Sydney, proteas' C-tag won't spare this time around and will continue haunt them with a defeat against mighty Aussies at their home turf

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka - My heart says Lions but mind & all the body says Kiwis, It's really tough to look beyond them really even though i would like to see my country going all the way for glory, they will battle hard but finally bowing their heads to a much superior side playing at their own backyard

Here we have a Trans-Tasman final then in the 2015 Cricket World cup

Australia vs New Zealand

The co-hosts to battle against each other for the ultimate title of Cricket world in front of a full-packed, 90,000 MCG crowd

Can you ask for something better?

Kiwis have never won it despite making to the knockout stages so many time, In fact this will be their first world cup final appearance, So can they do it? Can they go past these rampaging Kangaroos?

Nah, I don't think so, Micheal Clark will lift the cup!!!

Sad to see yet another world cup going to Aussie hands but they are deserved winners nevertheless

SACRIFICE

Imagine u found "The Aladdin's Lamp" ;) , Genie would come and ask "OK Master what do you want?"

What you gonna ask?

Money? Love? Power? Job? Happiness?

Well money, mmmm tempted but a big NO, There's a meaning to life beyond money

Love? Nah , It's something you should get unconditionally not by begging or pushing someone, Like any parent offers it :-)

Power , Well all the powerful people regret it later, So :-)

Job ? Who found this term actually, I'd like to meet that person and have a few words, Alone ;)

Happiness ? That's more like it but still NO , Don't you want any sadness or pain ever? Pain is sweet sometimes you know ;)

How about SACRIFICE ?

You won't get Money or Power by sacrificing but who wants those artificial things

A true sacrifice will give you Love + Happiness + Sadness + Pain and most importantly INNER PEACE

That feeling you get, Mostly when you are on bed trying to sleep ;) , Oh i did this for the betterment of someone else

Do sacrifice some time for your dearest ones, Parents, Friends (Real ones) , Relatives

Do sacrifice your love for someone who never experienced it before

Do sacrifice some wealth for someone who needed it more than you

Do sacrifice a thought of sympathy for someone who did wrong to you

Do sacrifice a kind word for someone who is shouting at you

Do sacrifice a whole-heart smile for that stranger you never knew

So ask for SACRIFICE from that Genie, will you?

POWER CUT

Oh shit No, not again 
U hate power cuts!!! 
Wait a minute, Do U really? 
Rewind your life some years back...... 
U remember there was a time when u would think a power cut as a blessing in disguise
U would go outside & lie somewhere to count stars with father or U would listen to his never ending stories
Sometimes U would play games with cousins under the yellow dim light of a lantern 

What has happened to U?
Life has changed a lot
U have lost the simplicity of the Life & embraced the complexity
Instead of feeling the simplest things, U have let senses enjoy the aritificiality
Simply U have eaten up the outer part of the coconut while wasting the delicious inner part
Wish U would be able to counter the consequences
Sometimes, a simple power cut can teach U lessons more than a dozen of lecturers does!!!