Putting the World in the World Cup

We review the first two weeks of the T20 World Cup and chat about the heartwarming performances of USA and other Associate teams. Plus Pakistan's insistence on opening with Babar and Rizwan; Kohli's attempts to change; Pant's hitting training; and the umpiring decision that Bangladesh are furious about. Talking Points: Why a 20-team World Cup seems so much more inclusive   Why USA beating Pakistan is not as shocking as it may have been 10 years ago Many teams have struggled to score freely but the games have been close Pakistan's RizBar problem  The importance of a T20 batter having a wide range of strokes Rishabh Pant's trained hitting - and how he embraces risk at all times Bangladesh's close defeat to South Africa - and the lbw  Participants: Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buy books republished by 81allout: War Minus the Shooting by Mike Marqusee Cricket Beyond the Bazaar by Mike Coward The Summer Game by Gideon Haigh  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Related: BAN lose to SA Despite A DRS Reprieve for Mahmudullah - Kartikeya Date - Cricketingview substack What will be the legacy of Cricket World Cup’s New York adventure? - Andy Bull - Guardian How India vs Pakistan converted an American sports fan to cricket - Michael Dominski - New York Times Saurabh Netravalkar and Harmeet Singh: two Mumbai boys living the American cricket dream - Nagraj Gollapudi and Shashank Kishore - ESPNcricinfo Cricket stadium opponents relieved with ICC’s decision to nix Van Cortlandt Park proposal, opt for Long Island site - Camille Botello - Bronx Times