Arbit Statistics - 5 & World Cup Thoughts - March 25th

Arbit Stats of the Day

• First time in 10 World Cups both India and New Zealand have made it to the semi-finals. So far it had been either New Zealand (1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007) or India (1983, 1987, 1996, 2003) but never both together.
• The result also continues the trend of India & South Africa reaching alternate semi-finals since 1992 (South Africa's readmission year). 1992 (SA), 1996 (India), 1999 (SA), 2003 (India), 2007 (SA) and now 2011 (India).
• South Africa yet to win a World Cup knockout match while New Zealand win their first in 6 attempts.

Now for the World Cup Thoughts

• Choke is an overused word when describing South Africa's performance. Asphyxiation is a nice alternate term (though sounds quite technical)
• First prediction which came unstuck. Though the disclaimer had been put (about the choking business).
• The old saying "Catches win matches" never seemed truer than today. Oram's catch to dismiss Kallis was strangely reminiscent of Kapil Dev's catch to dismiss Richards in the 1983 final. (Aside, Have seen the highlights of that game so often that the events of the game have become a part of memories).