World Cups were presumed to be the graveyard of hosts. The hype and fan indulgence, bordering on extreme passions, tended to deflate even the most hardened teams. Right from 1975 to 2007, cricket’s premier championship always honoured the tourist while the home unit tended to its wounds. A partial exception was Sri Lanka, a co-host for the 1996 edition, but it won the title at Lahore!
But this trope changed when M.S. Dhoni, molten lava in his eyes and steel in his limbs, hoisted a winning six. That 2011 April night at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium proved that a host can win the cup that matters in the willow game. Subsequently, Australia in 2015 and England in 2019 have all shown that it is easy to excel in your own backyard.
The Men in Blue’s current run in the latest World Cup is another pointer to home comforts, form streaks and the energy imbibed from packed stands. India’s 100-run victory over England at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium on Sunday extended its winning run to six consecutive games, while other league battles in Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru await.
