T20 World Cup
A guide for all those watching cricket after a long time for the T20 World Cup
With the T20 World Cup just around the corner, the hype building up, everyone is ready to back their teams as they fight it out for the most prestigious trophy in the cricketing circuit! Personally, the fact that it is now being played after a gap of four years (five due to the Pandemic) instead of the initial two years, which was the precedent, only adds more value to the importance and esteem of the cup. While the words, “Carlos Braithwaite, REMEMBER THE NAME!” still echo in the ears of die-hard cricket fans, the world has moved beyond quite a lot, with several teams restructured altogether. Therefore, this article is written to enlighten the readers about the changes major teams have come across, and we rate their squad while giving an overview of their chance of winning the title.
Pakistan
I am writing this a week before the World Cup, and you should remember I was the first to say it. PAKISTAN IS GOING TO WIN THE WORLD CUP! As strange as it may sound, there is a fresh wave of enthusiasm and optimism associated with the squad that is bound to represent our nation in the tournament. This is the only time apart from the 1999 World Cup when our team is dubbed as favorites, mainly because we now have a star-studded line-up. Despite facing criticism by many, the opening pair of this team, namely Babar and Rizwan, are capable of causing havoc for the opposition. With a stable platform being set by them, the ones coming later can utilize the platform they have set to have small cameos where they score quick runs, which may give Pakistan a chance to reach the milestone of 200 runs. Another difference between this Pakistani squad and the ones in the past is the batting depth they have. Usually, we would have four specialist bowlers who would be deemed as tail-enders. However, if we are to play Waseem over Rauf, the entire Pakistan team would be capable of batting, except for Shaheen, even though I remember him for his sixer followed by a four in the PSL Final. With that much strength in batting, it is hard to imagine a batting collapse. However, Pakistan has a knack for doing what people cannot expect them to do. On the bowling front, the team promises diversity with quality. None of the bowlers that are likely to be playing are similar to one another, inducing variety that can prove to be a crucial factor in times to come. The only concern that I had was the lack of experience in the dressing room, and the occasion of a World Cup can have psychological implications upon players. Therefore, I am delighted to know about the inclusion of Shoaib Malik, a pivotal player in the conditions of UAE. In the end, it brings me extreme delight to know the Chief Selector made changes to the earlier squad along with the fact that the World Cup is being played in neither Australia nor India, but UAE which has been Pakistan’s home ground for years ever since the unfortunate attack on the Sri Lankan Team at Lahore.
Star Players: BABAR AZAM, MUHAMMAD RIZWAN & SHAHEEN AFRIDI
Surprise Package: HAIDER ALI
Player, they may miss: SHARJEEL KHAN AND MUHAMMAD AMIR
Predicted Finish: Winner/Finalist
England
The current ODI World Cup winners and finalists from the last edition, England would be determined to redeem themselves by clinching the trophy to establish themselves as the best in the world. If there is any team in the world capable of chasing even 250 in a T20, it has to be England! Their firepower is unprecedented, and the heavy hitters in their arsenal range from Roy, Bairstow, Butler, Morgan, Livingstone, etc. Gone are the days where England would have to rely on stroke players like Bell to open their innings as the batters (ICC has replaced the word Batsman with Batter) they now start with are capable of bullying any bowler they come across. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that the England Squad is hampered with players being unavailable. Ben Stokes, whose role in winning the World Cup remains parallel to none, has taken a break from Cricket. Jofra Archer, the bowler who bowled the super over in the infamous Super Over, is injured. Even Sam Curran, a part of the initially announced squad, is replaced by his brother after he sustained a back injury. On their day, England is capable of demolishing any opponent they come across coupled with the fact that their players have been accustomed to playing in UAE thanks to IPL and PSL, bound to reach the semifinals bare minimum.
Star Players: DAVID MALAN, EOIN MORGAN, JOS BUTLER
Surprise Package: LIAM LIVINGSTONE
Players they will miss: BEN STOKES, JOFRA ARCHER
Predicted Finish: Finalist/Winner
Australia
The Mighty Australian Team that is always a force to be reckoned with is not having such a good time these days when it comes to T20. I feel as if the squad is in a transitionary phase with the Australian coaching staff being double-minded on who to pick and who to drop. Over the last few series, a recurring theme has been about how new players are being introduced, some flop, and are replaced by more new faces. The previous two T20 series, away from home, are ones that the squad would want to forget. As absurd as it may sound, their miserable outing in Bangladesh resulted in them losing the series 4–1 to the home side. In West Indies, a whitewash of the five T20 series was on the cards if it had not been for the sheer brilliance of Starc, who miraculously made them win a match after keeping Russel at bay in the final over. However, these defeats may prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Aussies as following these defeats, they introduced several changes to the squad that was meant to leave to the World Cup, the most notable being the inclusion of Steven Smith. The elite winning mentality of the Aussies accompanied by the changes in the squad could be enough to make them reach the last four of this tournament. How would their batting fare against spinners on pitches that promise spin is something which only time would tell, but if that is well-negotiated, they could be on their way to some glory? Would Australia forget the last five lost T20 series and come back out as a completely different unit? Only time would tell.
Star Players: STEVEN SMITH, MITCHELLE STARC, and GLENN MAXWELL
Surprise Package: MITCHELLE MARSH
Players they will miss: Usman Khawaja
Predicted Finish: Group Stage/Semi-Final
India
As bitter as it may be for me to admit, India has always been a dominant force in all ICC events in recent times. I cannot seem to remember the last time India had an early exit. Why would they? Since the beginning of this century, their batting line-up is stocked with world-beaters with a reputation that strikes awe in the opposition bowlers (unless it is Amir in red-hot form). Everyone anticipates them to perform well, which is natural considering their record, and there is no surprise to see Virat Kohli as the poster boy of the World Cup. If we look at their side, their squad selection deserves appreciation. Despite the marketing value and popularity of some players, they did not shy away from dropping some of their stars and made a team solely on merit who even did well in IPL. The spin attack looks potent with the presence of Ashwin, even if it meant dropping Kuldeep. With that being said, the bowling duo of Bumrah and Shami has recently caught the eye of the world with their performances. The opening pair, like Pakistan, is their strong point with KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma unleashing themselves on the opposition. The area of concern is how the form of Kohli on the international stage has been under scrutiny in the recent past accompanied by Kohli’s decision to leave T20 captaincy post World Cup. Would that drop in form warrant oppositions a sense of relief, looking at India as not the same batting powerhouse from years ago? Well, it is also true that Kohli performs best when under pressure. Is this the pressure that would elevate his performance in the World Cup? Only time would tell.
Star Players: VIRAT KOHLI, JASPRIT BUMRAH, ROHIT SHARMA
Surprise Package: RISHAB PANT
Players they will miss: DHAWAN, KULDEEP
Predicted Finish: Semi Final/Finalist
West Indies
Can we ever have a T20 World Cup and overlook the potential West Indian team possesses? No, their team carries the X-factor that teams despise. I earlier quoted that England can chase 250 if the situation demanded yet I did not clarify who was worthy of scoring such a mammoth total in the first place. Yes, it’s the boys from the Caribbean who can do whatever they want! They have already won it twice, why can’t they win it for another time? While their title-winning teams were quite similar to what they are now, the key omissions from this squad are of SAMMY, MARLON SAMUELS, BADREE, and NARINE. They were key pillars of those teams, and Samuels was mesmerizing whenever the team was in deep waters. Have they found their replacements? They do have a new group of players who are managing to compliment the veterans like Gayle and Simmons, giving a unique identity to the West Indian team. My little brother always claims that if someone like Dawid Malan or Babar Azam were playing for the Carribeans, they would be unstoppable as they lack that one player who can play throughout the innings while the others join the party. Even in CPL, a recurring theme was how the batters would smash numerous boundaries, but the score would still range between 150–170 runs. If they are to make themselves stand out from the crowd, they need to find a way to rotate the strike if it is proving tough to smash boundaries. A six with the next four balls as dots is useless as it inflicts a psychological victory for the bowler.
Star Players: CHRIS GAYLE, KIERAN POLLARD, ANDRE RUSSEL
Surprise Package: GEORGE WALSH
Players they will miss: SUNIL NARINE
Predicted Finish: Group Stage/Semi-Final
South Africa
The Proteas have a reputation of being chokers in ICC events and that weighs down badly on them. In recent times, they have been one of the best sides in world cricket, but their habit of doing poorly in ICC events has forced people to overlook them as potential champions. The day Grant Elliot heaved the ball beyond the boundary line for the killer punch, as a cricket fan, my trust in the South African team went down the drain as that was the undisputed best team at that time. Their squad selection caused quite a controversy as players such as Imran Tahir and Faf Du Plessis believed they would be a part of the squad due to come earlier communications but were not included at the very end. With youngsters taking the mantle of responsibility from the old guns, there is a new ray of optimism for the South African to escape the shadows of the past and break free from the curse that has been haunting them for several decades as they look to clinch the trophy in UAE. All eyes would be on De KOCK. Having being phenomenal in THE HUNDRED, it looks as if the glamorous lefty has found his groove after a rough patch to become a mature world-class batter. Whereas on a spinning track, Tabraiz Shamsi would get an opportunity to showcase his spin wizardry, being a rare left-handed leg spinner.
Star Players: AIDEN MAKRAM, DE KOCK, TABRAIZ SHAMSI
Surprise Package: MALAN
Players they will miss: FAF DU PLESSIS
Predicted Finish: Group Stage
New Zealand
The Kiwis have been phenomenal whenever the occasion arises. Be it the Test Championship, where they defeated India to be declared the best in the world, or the ODI World Cup where they were narrowly outshined by the English, they have done it all. No one expects them to be a major player when the competition begins but slowly, yet surely, they prove their doubters to be wrong. To think that their team does it all based on talent would be false, but it has more to do with the tactics deployed by Captain Kane Williamson. The cool and composed head never gets infuriated with how the situation goes, inspiring his teammates to remain steadfast even if the outcome is not in their favor. His field placement deserves appreciation, and I believe every cricket fan can remember how he got Steven Smith dismissed in the World Cup by perfectly positioning Martin Guptill at an unorthodox position. Smith pulled, and it went straight to Guptill, who took a marvelous catch. The bad news for Kiwi fans (I don’t think anyone reading would be considering how they left the Pakistan Tour) is that their captain is currently facing a minor elbow injury. He sustained this while playing IPL and is not yet fully recovered. This is likely to give them a scare considering how heavily dependent they are. Do you think the underdogs are likely to be the star team this time around too?
Star Players: KANE WILLIAMSON, ROSS TAYLOR, TRENT BOULT
Surprise Package: KYLE JAMIESON
Players that they will miss: None that I can remember
Predicted Finish: Group Stages
While I have provided a mini-review on most of the teams that I know, there is also Afghanistan who can announce their arrival to the big stage by utilizing the spin attack they have consisting of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb, and Nabi. The predictions stated above are based on the record and how strong the teams are. We all know that this sport is a game where you can never underestimate your opponent or show complacency. Remember the time when Pakistan narrowly managed to qualify for the Champions Trophy but ended up winning it? We all need to show faith and back our teams during their highs and lows. We will make mistakes, but growth happens by accepting our mistakes. So when a player drops the ball or a batter gets out early, hope that he comes back stronger rather than abusing them on social media to a point where their confidence hits an all-time low.
At the end of the day, I want Pakistan to bring home the trophy, and we show the world what they missed out on when they canceled tours of Pakistan.
