India's slip is good for cricket

For Indian fans, India's virtual elimination from the cricket World Cup so early in the competition is a crushing disappointment. For the television channels that bought rights to beam the tournament to these fans, Friday's defeat is a financial disaster. But for the tournament itself, nothing could have been more tonic than the purging of Pakistan and India, the dysfunctional giants of South Asian cricket. Instead of these glowering bruisers, it looks as though the extravagantly gifted Sri Lankans and the plucky Bangladeshis shall represent South Asia in the next round, the Super 8.

The rest of the piece can be read at the BBC website here