81 All Out

The league stage of the World Cup is done. A good time to take a look at the teams that fell short (including those who were oh so close). Many thanks to Peter Della Penna, a cricket journalist at ESPN and ESPNcricinfo, for joining us. Peter has been covering cricket in the USA for various publications since 2009. He has also reported extensively on Associate cricket, in particular the ICC World Cricket League. Participants Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview)

We review India's win over Sri Lanka in the World Cup match at Headingley. Talking points: The Rohit juggernaut rolls on, Malinga bids adieu, and India's happy headaches for the semi-final Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Ashoka (@ABVan) Max (@maxdavinci)

We speak to three fans who have attended games during the ongoing World Cup, and chat about their in-ground experiences. Highlights: The lack of World Cup buzz in England, the easy accessibility to the stadiums, and the overwhelming support for India. * Participants: Minal (@granger_gab) Brinda (@itsbrinda) Jaikanthan (@jaiunni) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

We review India's win over Bangladesh in the World Cup match at Edgbaston. Talking points: Rohit continues to make most of his luck, Shakib continues to own the World Cup, and Pandya emerges as a genuine fifth bowler Participants: Mohammad Isam (@isam84) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) * Related: Mohammad Isam - All fizz, no fuss Mohammad Isam - Shakib Al Hasan's simplicity keeps Bangladesh's complex challenge alive Previous 81allout podcast with Mohammad Isam - Bangladesh don't have the habit of chasing 300-plus scores

We review England's win over India in the World Cup match at Edgbaston. Talking points: Is Jason Roy the new Sehwag? Is Bairstow creating imagined enemies? And what was Dhoni trying at the end?  Participants: Daniel Norcross (@norcrosscricket) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) * (Lead pic from here)

We review India's win over West Indies in the World Cup match at Old Trafford. Talking points: India's batting problem that is yet to be a problem, West Indies' neither-here-nor-there approach to ODIs, and Mohammad Shami bowling Shai Hope with a ball straight from bowling heaven. Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Ashoka (@ABVan) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) * Related: Earlier 81allout podcast: Mid-tournament review *

We review Pakistan's win over New Zealand in the World Cup match at Edgbaston. Talking points: Pakistan doing Pakistan things, Shaheen Afridi bowling the spell of the tournament, Babar Azam playing an innings four years in the making, and Hafeez doing, well, Hafeez things. Participants: Hassan Cheema (@mediagag) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) * Related: Hassan Cheema: In the mountains, old-school Pakistan lives on Earlier 81allout podcast: When data stops working with Pakistan * (Lead pic from here)

We review Australia's win over England in the World Cup match at Lord's. Talking points: England flirting with elimination, Australia hiding their fifth bowler and thatball from Mitchell Starc Participants: Peter Miller (@thecricketgeek) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) * Related: Peter Miller and Dave Tickner: 28 Days' Data: England's Troubled Relationship With One-Day Cricket Sriram Veera: Knock, knock, anybody home? 

We review the first half of the World Cup and discuss some of the main themes from the last three weeks. Talking points: England making the tournament interesting; rain, rain and more rain; teams trying to bounce opponents out; too many captains deciding to field first; and the growing separation between the good teams and the also-ran. Participants: Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) * Related: Australia's World Cup of gambles by Jarrod Kimber. Bouncers to the fore as bowlers hunt wickets by Sidharth Monga.

We review India's win over Pakistan in the World Cup match at Old Trafford. Talking points: Rohit's majestic hundred, Pakistan's strange tactics, and a most forgettable batting performance Participants: Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan) * Related: India v Pakistan in World Cups

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at the India-Pakistan rivalry in World Cups, from 1992 to 2015. Highlights: Miandad v More in '92, Jadeja v Waqar in '96, cricket amid war in '99, Tendulkar's three shots in '03, the greatest anti-climax in '07, Mohammad Hafeez' brain-fade in '11 and Misbah's lone hand in '15 Participants: Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) * Related reading:  The Haal of Pakistan- Osman Samiuddin  It all began in South Africa- Rahul Bhattacharya Pundits from Pakistan- Rahul Bhattacharya 

We review India's win over Australia in the World Cup match at The Oval. Talking points: India's clinical batting performance, David Warner's go-slow, and Kohli's gracious gesture. Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Ashoka (@ABVan)

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at the India-Australia rivalry in World Cups, from 1983 to 2015. We chart the rise of this rivalry from its modest beginnings and talk about how the commercial rise of Indian cricket coincided with Australia's purple patch. Highlights: The Indian team's depth in 1983, Chepauk's cracking ODI debut, Jadeja's diving catch, the institutionalisation of the Sachin-Sachin chant, Azhar's decision to bowl at The Oval, Gillespie's slower ball, Ponting walking on water, the Motera trap, and Smith's never-ending golden summer. Participants: Vijay Arumugam (@vijayarumugam) Aftab Khanna (@aftabkhanna) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)

We review India's win over South Africa in the World Cup match at Southampton. Talking points: Jasprit Bumrah's Test-match-style opening spell, KulCha's delightful drift, turn and dip, and Rohit Sharma's Nine-to-Five hundred Participants: Sriram Dayanand (@sdayanand) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

We review Pakistan's win against England in the World Cup match at Trent Bridge.  Talking points: The cosmic (as well as probabilistic) reasons for Pakistan's unpredictability, the reasons why Pakistan should not have won this match, and the end of England's glorious chasing streak at home Participants: Ahmer Naqvi (@karachikhatmal) Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

In the latest episode of the 81allout podcast we are delighted to be joined by ace sports writer Rob Smyth, who has written for the Guardian, Wisden, ESPNcricinfo and a variety of other publications. Rob is one of the most prolific over-by-over and minute-by-minute commentators, and has written multiple books on cricket – like The Spirit of Cricket and Gentleman and Sledgers– as well as on football. He talks about his journey in sports journalism, the joys and challenges of live text-commentary, and the breed of cricketers he is drawn towards. He remembers England's woeful one-day adventures in the 1990s and 2000s, and puts the achievement of the current ODI team in perspective. Also featuring: English fans' love-hate relationship with KP, Patrick Patterson's most violent spell, and England's "omnifiasco" in India in 1992-93.  Participants: Rob Smyth Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Some of Rob’s pieces: The scariest Test England ever player The joy of Kevin Pietersen The unimprovable game: Austral

We review the opening match of the World Cup between England and South Africa at The Oval. Talking points: England's scary batting depth, South Africa's tame run-chase, and the value that Joffra Archer brings to a bowling attack.  How does any team beat this England side? Can South Africa bounce back.  Participants: Subash Jayaraman (@cricketcouch) Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at the World Cup in 1999 when Australia came back from the dead to win the tournament. We talk (a lot) about the most dramatic ODI match of all time, India's meltdown in the chase against Zimbabwe, Steve Waugh's brilliant century, the thrill of watching Shoaib Akhtar from the ground level, Warnie rising to the occasion just in time, Venkatesh Prasad's 5 wicket haul against Pakistan, Pakistan's pinch-blocking strategy, Dravid's glorious run, and Zulu. Also included: Mark Waugh's serenity on the field, parochial plaint on Venkatraghavan missing out on the final, and Imran's wisdom. Participants: Krishna Murali (@mkrishna) Suhrith Parthasarathy (@suhrith) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee), Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Vijay Arumugam (@vijayarumugam)

In the latest 81allout podcast we look back at the 2003 World Cup where Australia put on a stellar show overcoming all the obstacles thrown at them to win back to back World Cups. We talk about South Africa's tragicomic exit, the high voltage Ind-Pak match at Centurion, Windies going with 3 frontline bowlers, Nehra's spectacular spell against England, Kenya's dream run, Sachin's sublime batting in the tournament, Aravinda's still mighy wizardy, great bowling performances from a wide variety of bowlers – Andy Bichel to Collins Obuya. And the Ponting show. Also included: Warnie being a good mama's boy, Why Nehra may sometimes be called Nehru, and Pedro Collins (not) taking a catch Participants: Sriram Dayanand (@sdayanand) Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Ashoka Rao (@abvan)

In the latest 81allout podcast we rewind to the World Cup in 1996 – when Sri Lanka refused to be beaten.  We remember Brian Lara's exquisite strokeplay, Aravinda de Silva's mastery, Tendulkar's magic with a sponsor-less bat, Jayasuriya reducing medium-pacers to offspinners, Paul Strang's wizardry and Ambrose getting stumps to fly.  Also included: Richie Richardson's sweep shot crashing into umpire BC Cooray's head, Mike Marqusee's seminal book 'War Minus the Shooting', and Sultan Zarawani walking out to bat in a hat and preparing to face Allan Donald. Participants: Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd) Karthik Krishnaswamy (@the_kk) Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) Aditya Shrikrishna (@gradwolf)