World Cup 2007 - First salvo

WOW !!!! Cricket World Cup 2007 starts today. The biggest sporting bonanza (discounting Soccer World Cup, Olympics, Asian Games, Super Bowl etc) ever !!!!
Today The Host West Indians face off a similar mercurial team Pakistan in the opening match of this 9th edition of the world cup.
Shall we discuss the participating teams' prospects ???
1. We Indians are so much crazy about this event that inspite of having no chance of proceeding even to the semifinals [remind me to eat my non-existent hat if we , by some fluke manage to reach the semifinals, remind me to put my foot in my mouth if we reach the finals like we did in 2003. What if we win the cup like 1983 ??? What if pigs have wings ??? ]
2. Bangladesh - whose chance of winning this trophy is similar to a snowflake's chance of surviving in Hell - they'd be happy to win their match against Bermuda.
3. Pakistan - they can win this tournament, provided their top, middle and lower order batting clicks, their so-called fast bowlers doesn't give out too many extra deliveries and Inzy and Mohammed Yusuf doesn't run themselves or other partners out, or Shahid Afridi remembers to put the white cherry regularly beyond the boundary or .... too many factors. Forget it.
4. Srilanka - Their openers are in tremendous form, their middle order is not. But not to worry. If Jayasurya gets his guns blazing and Murali gets those doosras spinning and W.P.J.U.C. Vaas gets those yorkers right, voila !!!! repeat 1996.
5. Australia - World Champions Three times over, currently in a 5 match loosing streak. They will bounce back, but I seriously doubt how much would they bounce in WestIndian pitches ....
6. South Africa - Semifinalist for sure, finalist ? Maybe. Winners ? check my comments for India
7. New Zealand - Super 8 is the limit - can't survive for long in West Indian pitches.
8. West Indies - The Host - See my comments for India
9. England - See my comments for Newzealand
10. Kenya - Forget 2003 performance. 2007 is a different ball-game
11. Zimababwe now is at par with the other 5 minnows - they are there to provide valuable match practice and bolster batting averages of the super eighters ...

Anything more to write ? No ?
well then, that's that ... keep watching this space for daily match results and brief score.
p.s. any body reads this blog ?