World T20: Evaluating the chances of major contenders

So finally, the moment has arrived. The big tournament is round the corner with all the teams waiting to unleash their package of high-class entertainment. Discussions about this tournament are making the rounds, the excitement is climbing high on the meter, people are readying up to witness what’s going to be an action-packed month. But what is all this excitement about? Obviously teams, players and their chances to lift the trophy. So let’s take a realistic look at the prospects of all the giants to reach the glory.

Starting with the defending champs Sri Lanka, the hope gets faded with a look at their recent form. Lost 2-1 to India in a bilateral T20I series, lost to Pakistan, Bangladesh and India in the Asia Cup and the only win registered in their name came against UAE. Even the win against UAE was a marginal one with 14 runs being the difference between the two teams. So clearly, they need a turnaround with immense efforts to brighten their chances of successfully defending the title.

Moving to the Caribbean, one cannot just ignore them as the names on paper are too big to be written-off. Players like Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell are all specialists of this form of the game and each one of them has the capability to pull off a win out of nowhere. However, the withdrawal of Pollard, Narine and Simmons is going to hurt badly. West Indies’ chances to win the title for the second time may look dull but perseverance would be the key to success for them.

The western neighbours of the host, Pakistan, don’t look up to the mark as can be clearly seen in their performance in the recently concluded Asia Cup. What they lack is leadership, constructive leadership, a face every member of the team can look up to. Shahid Afridi, in spite of being the senior most player and their captain, has failed to do this duty. The team looks uncoordinated, irresponsible and casual attitude is rampant in the team, and they lack the urge to fight for victory. Their bowling line-up may be one of the best in the world, but their batting and fielding haven’t lived up to the expectations. One expects better from a team that has held this title in the past.

Inventors of the game, the Three Lions, look a balanced side coming into this tournament. With their players in form, the English will pose a tough challenge to the other majors. However, their recent series against South Africa wasn’t a good one as far as victories are concerned. But that should not be the only yardstick to judge this team’s potential. Players like their captain Morgan, Butler, Hales, Stokes and Root can provide some good firepower for this team to excel in the tournament. But what remains to be seen is how they handle the ‘big tournament pressure’. England has, in the past, won this title beating their arch-rivals Australia in the finals of the 2010 WT20.

Moving south of equator, a team in the African continent, which has, in the recent past, developed a reputation for being the most brutal and devastating unit in the shorter format of the game. This team is arguably the most sorted side in this tournament. Aggressive batting, all-rounders, new ball bowling, death bowling specialization, they have it all. And of course, they have a man known to be the best in this gen of cricketers, AB De Villiers. However, he hasn’t been a sensation in this form of cricket. But you never know, this man has the capabilities to turn the flow upside down. Also, players like Duminy, Faf and Miller are amongst the best match winners in the world. Miller has been doing his job as a hitter and a finisher very sincerely. He is one of the top ranking T20 batsmen of all time. With Morris and Wiese in the side, the depth in both batting and bowling comes as a boon for this team. Steyn and Rabada are also up for their challenge and Tahir has been successful in India in recent past. So, all in all, this team has a very good chance to take the glory home but the only thing that comes in their way is that tag of ‘chokers’, who fail at advanced stages of world tournaments.

Aussies, with the form they’ll be carrying to India, beating South Africa 2-1 in South Africa, makes them look mighty and battle-hardened. This would have even helped them get over the 3-0 series loss against India in their own backyard. However, their top order is looking in some very good form and the middle order has been following up the good work obediently. Their only concern should be bowling. They heavily rely on Coulter-Nile and Hazlewood but these two don’t seem to make-up for Starc’s unavailability. Spin bowling, an essential ingredient for a team playing in India, is not their forte. The only specialist spinner in the squad is Zampa who is an inexperienced young kid. For a tournament as big as this one, they would miss an experienced campaigner in this department. Even after keeping all this in view, Australia has a very good chance to add this trophy to their cabinet, something they would be desperate to do.

The other nation of Oceania, has seen a resurgence circa 2014 and has been going strong after that. New Zealand appears to be one of the best T20I sides coming into this tournament because of their firepower. They have a whole lot of hard hitters capable of posting humongous totals on the board and even capable of chasing some of the same kind. McCullum will be missed, that’s an undivided opinion. Their bowling won’t be a concern for them as their strike bowlers have had some experience playing in the IPL for their franchises. Spin bowlers, there aren’t many in this side who can prove to be a threat. But this New Zealand side is coming here to put some challenge up.

Finally, coming to the host nation, India. Here is a side pundits are putting their money on. Their back to back series wins and that too almost invincibly has made the world accept their dominance. Knowing the fact that this tournament is taking place at home, India’s chances can only step-up. They have found the right fast bowling pair and the timing couldn’t have been better. Shami’s return to fitness provides a comfortable cushion for replacement and rotation, if it’s necessary. Pandya, coming in as an all-rounder who can hit the ball hard and can clock speeds of 140+ in his bowling to take some crucial wickets, something India has always missed, only provides MS Dhoni some luxury. Spin bowling has never been a thing to worry about and this tournament won’t be an exception either. Ashwin, Jadeja, Yuvraj form a trinity with too much variation for the batsmen to adjust with. The Indian batsmen are in such sublime form that even talking about them would be a waste of time. Rohit and Kohli are in the form of their lives, Shikhar and Yuvraj have picked good form recently, Dhoni and Pandya have done some nice hard hitting recently. The only thing that needs to be checked before and during the course of this tournament is any kind of overconfidence that creeps into the dressing room. Overconfidence could turn a fairytale into devastation. But the Men in Blue have a real chance and arguably a greater one than any other team in this tournament to complete what was left incomplete in 2014.

Seeing all that, there aren’t any clear-cut favourites. The only thing certain here is that this WT20 is going to be fun-filled and action-packed to the core.

Written by Rishi Khemani