The T20 World Cup's first round got underway on Sunday 17 October 2021 and proceeds at a breakneck pace until its conclusion on 14 November.
To Win Outright
India 5/2
England 4/1
West Indies 6/1
New Zealand 13/2
Australia 7/1
Pakistan 9/1
South Africa 11/1
How does the T20 World Cup format work?
With a total of 45 matches, the T20 World Cup will be composed of two rounds of pool action. Round One will include twelve matches between eight teams (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland, Namibia, Oman and Papua New Guinea) split into two groups from which four teams (the top two in each group) will progress to the Super 12s.
The Super 12s, scheduled to start from 24 October 2021, consists of 30 matches between the four teams progressing from Round One and the top eight ranked T20I teams (at the qualification deadline). Those teams will be split into two groups of six each with two teams progressing beyond this second group phase. The Super 12s will be followed by the two semi-finals and then the final.
Who are the favourites
The T20 World Cup rolls around after a period of unprecedented disruption to the international cricket calendar which has affected teams in a lopsided manner.
India start as strong favourites even though they will no longer host the tournament on their shores. Thanks to the IPL their entire squad will be match-fit and ready to rock and roll on the big stage. On paper, they are the team to beat as they have been for the last few major ICC tournaments. The weight of expectation is likely the biggest obstacle India will have to overcome as they sport established T20 stars like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah as well as a gang of emerging superstars.
ODI world champions England are also strong candidates for the crown thanks to their successful white-ball revolution. This is likely to be skipper Eoin Morgan’s final tournament for England and they will want to give him a big send-off. The Three Lions will be without Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer for the tournament but still sport an unbelievably strong lineup. Master blaster Jason Roy could hold the key to England blowing the other teams out of the water. Counting against them is the fact that they have a tougher group to tackle than India with old enemy Australia, world champions the West Indies and the dangerous Proteas all competing for those two semi-final places.
New Zealand will compete alongside India in the Super 12s and after breaking their ICC tournament duck in the World Test Championship are also well-placed for success in the shortest format. They don’t have the depth of England or India but they certainly possess enough match-winners to ensure they should expect at least a semi-final from the tournament. Counting against them is the prospect that they could have to face four or even five Asian nations in the Super 12s.
The West Indies and Australia have been attached to the group of favourites, but neither side have strung together the kind of cricket that suggests they could win the T20 World Cup.
Who are the T20 World Cup dark horses
There are a number of teams that pose a serious danger to those expected to make it into the top four.
South Africa’s Proteas are among their number, despite their well-documented struggles in tournament play. The Proteas have had as good a preparation as most of the teams and possess the players to beat any team in the world. Bowling is their undoubted strength but the batting has also come on in leaps and bounds in recent months thanks to strong runs from Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram. Tabraiz Shamsi has been the number one T20 bowler in the world for a while and with good reason. Shamsi has been a consistent match-winner in the format and will be key to the Proteas hopes.
Pakistan are perpetual dark horses although back home expectations will still be incredibly high for the team, which could hamper their progress. The Professor Mohammad Hafeez might just be the glue that holds this ridiculously talented but wildly inconsistent side together, while skipper Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan will need to pile on the runs.
Afghanistan have had the worst possible preparation for the tournament which has flattened the previously high expectations but they could also be a dangerous side with the T20 superstar Rashid Khan well backed up by Mohammad Nabi and a gaggle of young talents.
Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will both have to navigate the first round, however, those matches could count heavily in their favour. Sri Lanka are former champions in the T20 format, while Bangladesh sport a recent T20I series victory over Australia and the conditions should suit both teams as they will be able to make up for their fragile batting with their stacked spin attacks.
Players to watch at the T20 World Cup
Glenn Maxwell: Australia’s finisher, Glenn Maxwell, had a very good IPL even if RCB fell short in the end and he looks to be a dangerous player ahead of the tournament. Maxwell will be charged with shoring up the middle order which has suffered from the propensity to collapse under pressure in recent matches.
Jason Roy: The SA-born England opener has not-so-quietly established himself as one of the best openers in white-ball cricket and had a good hit out in the IPL despite turning out for the hapless Sunrisers Hyderabad. Roy bats without fear and is given license to swing at anything that moves up front, he could be the key to England blowing other teams out of the water.
Andre Russell: Dre Russ faces a race to be fit for the tournament and that could ultimately decide the West Indies’ fate. The Windies have top bowlers and batsman but Russell is a man who can turn games with both bat and ball and he has the spirit of a champion. He stands out in a team full of megastars as the big dangerman.
Jasprit Bumrah: It might seem odd to see a paceman here for the T20 World Cup in the UAE and Oman, but few bowlers have the mastery of the death overs that Bumrah does. The India quick will be Virat Kohli’s go-to man with the ball at the death, as he shown time and again he can perform when the pressure is really on.
Quinton de Kock: The Proteas powerplay engine has been at the heart of the recent upsurge in the team’s fortunes in the shortest format. His ability to get on top of the bowling and take the pressure off an inexperienced middle order will be crucial if the Proteas are to break their long run of World Cup disappointments.
Devon Conway: Another South African-born star making a splash for a different country is Devon Conway of the Black Caps. He has added a different dimension to New Zealand’s top order in T20 cricket and helped turn them from dark horses into contenders for the crown. His runs, usually made in double-time should give a massive boost to Kane Williamson’s side.
Super 12s
India and England will conduct inquests if they do not reach the semi-finals from the Super 12s phase. Based on recent form one might guess they will be joined by New Zealand and possibly South Africa or Australia.
The whole show
Playing the percentages, one has to say that India are the outright pick to win the whole thing.
