T20 World Cup 2021: Predicting team-wise positions at the end of the group stage

The excitement, build-up, and anticipation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 are palpable among fans, experts, and critics. With less than a month to go for the global event, the teams are sweating it out in the practice games, playing the Indian Premier League (IPL), and working out extra in the gym. The event is set to kick off in Oman on October 17 with the eight teams battling it out in the Qualifiers. The Super 12 stage of the tournament is going to be played in UAE.

Earlier the ICC announced the groups for the T20 World Cup with Group A comprising of England, South Africa, Australia. Meanwhile, Group B comprised India, Pakistan, New Zealand, and Afghanistan. The top eight teams have played a good amount of T20 cricket and have gotten used to playing on the slow and low surfaces in the sub-continent conditions before the T20 World Cup.

For example, South Africa has opted for horses for courses policy and have gone on with playing three spinners for their recent tour of Sri Lanka. Even India included the mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy in their 15-member squad announced for the global event. Australia too have three spinners in their squad in the form of Adam Zampa, Ashton Agar, and Mitchell Swepson.

But still, the top four teams India, England, and West Indies look threatening. With the T20 World, it is a good time to look where the teams might finish.

Team positions at the end of the group stage in T20 World Cup 2021

8. Afghanistan- group stage

Although Afghanistan has shown a tremendous rise in just a short time in their cricketing career, there are still plenty of things they need to work on. For starters, the team selection is still not consistent enough with certain players like Mohammad Shahzad, and Hamid Hassan coming and certain youngsters not getting a place in the team.

Also, the team is known to handle pressure situations against big teams like India, Pakistan, and New Zealand. So by the looks of it, Afghanistan will end its campaign on the group stage itself.

The team will give a tough fight no doubt but the lack of consistency, match winners, and experienced players will come back to haunt them when they will face the tough teams ahead.