New Delhi:
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 is finally here and the opening match features hosts and favourites England taking on the perennially under-achieving South Africa at The Oval in London. The cricketing world’s attention will be firmly on the matches in England, with both TV and Print journalists devoting plenty of air-time and page time. In the race for TRP, media houses are pulling no punches. However, this ICC Cricket World Cup will see a ‘special’ debut from one of the world’s greatest batsman. Sachin Tendulkar will make his debut as an on-air expert in the ICC ODI World Cup and he will take his place in the commentary box ahead of the tournament opener between hosts England and South Africa.
Tendulkar joins an illustrious panel of experts in the pre-show on Star Sports. He will have his own segment 'Sachin Opens Again'. The 46-year-old, who has represented India in six World Cups, holds the record for scoring the highest number of runs in a single edition of the World Cup, scoring 673 in 2003. In the 1996 World Cup, Tendulkar managed to score 523 runs, including two centuries. India opens its campaign on June 5 against South Africa at the Rose Bowl in Southampton.
England and South Africa will start off the tournament in the opening game at The Oval. For England, this will not be the first time where they will feature in the opening game of the Cricket World Cup. For South Africa, this will only be their second time that they have featured in the opening game of this quadrennial event. While England has made it to the World Cup finals three times, South Africa has been knocked out in the semi-final stage four times. Both teams have never won the World Cup title and this gives them the perfect opportunity to break the jinx. England and South Africa have clashed in the World Cup six times.
England is hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup after 20 years, having last hosted the tournament in 1999. This is the fifth time they are hosting the World Cup, starting from 1975.
