2014 ICC World Twenty20 - Preview

2014 ICC World Twenty20 - Preview

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The fifth edition of the ICC World Twenty20 Cup will see 16 teams competing for the title, the most until now. Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India are currently holding the top three positions in the ICC T20 rankings and hence are the strongest contenders for the title, given than they play in sub continental conditions which are familiar to them. West Indies, the defending champions, and South Africa, reigning Test Champions, have a good chance to make it count. The brisk and quick swinging nature of T20 format gives a real chance to every team on a given day to swing the consequences in their favour.

Ever since India laid its hands on the inaugural T20 Cup, its performance in this format has not much stunning despite it hosting one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world. In this format out of 55 matches they have won 24 and lost 19. Even for the upcoming World Cup, the Men in Blue have a stellar batting –up and with Yuvraj Singh making some sort of a comeback, the expectations would be huge from the ODI defending champions. However, what pegs back its chances is its struggling bowling line-up which has failed to bowl consistently especially in the death overs. What is more worrying is the lack of form of its premier spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who has only taken four wickets in his last ten outings. But T20 is a different form altogether and Dhoni would back him to come good on the Bangladeshi pitches. 

When it comes to ICC events, Sri Lanka has been one of the unluckiest teams. After 1996, they have reached the finals of ICC events a lot of times, but, they have always failed in making that last stride. Since making their debut in 2006 in the T20 format, the Lankans have a good record of 61% success rate (Won-32, Lost-21). The runners-up of the last T20 edition, they would again rely on the trio of Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Dilshan to give them a good start so that big-hitters like Angelo Mathews and Thisera Perrera can come towards the end and score heavily. The Sri Lankan bowling attack is arguably the most effective one in the world in this form of the game. They have got Lasith Malinga who has become a master when it comes to bowling yorkers and then, they have got mystery spinners like Ajantha Mendis and Senanayke who will be effective in taking wickets as well as draining the runs in the spinning tracks.

Pakistan has the most consistent team in all the editions of the World T20 Championship so far having been in the finals of the World T20 Championship thrice and winning it once in 2009. As the record suggests, they have won 44 out of the 71 games played, the most by any team. As always this time too, the Pakistani contingent boasts of a fragile batting line-up with quality bowlers. Currently in a transition period, the Pakistani batting line-up would be overtly dependent on former captain Shoaib Malik (whose selection itself has raised a few eye-brows), captain Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi. The most concerning thing for the team management would be the lack of finishers unless Afridi comes good on a particular day. In bowling, Pakistan has got some real fire-power who can take all 10 wickets. They have got fast bowlers who can swing it up front and then, can come back in the death to bowl yorkers. And, to choke the opposition in the middle of the innings, Pakistan has got spinners like Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi.

The West Indies may struggle in the other forms of the game, but, when it comes to T20s, they just rule the world and would be eager to win the title consecutively. Out of the 51games they have played, only 23 have been won while they have lost more than half of their matches (24). But with Kieron Pollard ruled out due to injury and Gayle not in his marauding best, the islanders would look to shake off their past failures and make the opponents dance to their Calypso tune. Power hitting is something which comes naturally to the West Indies batsmen and Dwayne Smith and Gayle would look to provide them with decent starts. Bravo, Samuels and Sammy too can be dangerous on their day and with Sunil Narine in their ranks they can be assured of four economical overs from him along with a couple of wickets. 

Australia has been the underdogs in this format and it is one tag that they will like to shake off. They have reached the final once, but, only to be beaten by England. This year though they look a completely different team having beaten England comprehensively in the Ashes and the T20 series. Shane Watson, George Bailey, Glen Maxwell, David Warner can all smack the leather a long way but it remains to be seen if they can counter the spin attack with equal ease in the Bangladeshi pitches. The bowling attack that Australia has at the moment can be considered decent in general, but, for the slow pitches in Bangladesh, this attack might not be the best. It remains to be seen if the Johnson factor works wonders for them here as well or not. 

Among the remaining teams, New Zealand have performed well in the recent months and defeating India has done them a world of good in gaining vital enthusiasm to beat other teams as well. New Zealand have got two of the greatest power hitters in the business Brendan McCullum and Ross Taylor and with Corey Anderson, they have found a great finisher who could also bowl the full quota of four overs. But, luck has always chosen not to go their way and the Kiwis have always found out a way of losing crunch games in the ICC tournaments. 

The South African’s are always seen as favourites in the ICC events, but, in crunch matches, they always choke but they would like to turn that around in this year’s World T20. Despite having a great batting and bowling line-up, they don’t have a genuine spinner who would turn around the game for them. They would again rely on Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel to hurry up the batsman on the dead tracks while AB de Villiers would be their batting mainstay.

In the last few months, the composition of the England T20 side has changed and there have been some new guys coming in who would be tested in the World T20. 

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By Abhishek De