Minnows Make their Mark

By Gulu Ezekiel

The term ‘minnows’ (dictionary meaning, a small fish) is commonly used to describe the teams in the 20/20 World Cup that do not enjoy full international status and had to qualify for the tournament.
This time around they consist of Scotland, Ireland and the Netherlands. Bangladesh too often get clubbed into this group since they have been under performing since being granted full Test match status back in 2000. Zimbabwe also fall into Bangladesh’s category but are missing in England due to political reasons.
Well, the Netherlands shock defeat of England on the opening day on Friday was certainly one of the biggest achievements of the small fish over the bigger variety—kind of like a gold fish crushing a piranha!
But it was not the first and certainly not the last and it is this shortest variety of cricket that leads to the biggest upsets.
In the inaugural 2007 World Cup it was Zimbabwe that put it past Australia and Bangladesh that stunned the West Indies.
The first big upset on the world stage was when Sri Lanka upset India in the second World Cup in England in 1979 when ODIs were played over 60 overs.
That fast tracked the Lankans to full Test status which they gained two years later and just four editions of the World Cup later, they were crowned world champions, a remarkable success story.
Kenya’s defeat of twice world champions West Indies in Pune in 1996 is still remembered as the biggest shock of them all while Zimbabwe claimed the prized scalps of Australia in 1983 and England in 1992. Bangladesh had a dream tournament in 2007 when they first shocked India and then South Africa. And Ireland eliminated Pakistan.
There may not be many more shocks in the tournament, but the Dutch have certainly created headlines around the world by beating the inventors of cricket at the (former) home of cricket.