New Delhi, Feb 06: It’s the largest ever but also perhaps the most politically charged with off-field drama hogging the limelight in a turbulent buildup.
The T20 World Cup gets underway across three different venues in India and Sri Lanka on Saturday. And though the title favourites tag is firmly attached to the Suryakumar Yadav-led defending champion India, potential winners or players to look forward to have hardly been the talking point so far.
It’s been an unprecedented mixing of politics with sport in the run up to the event, which has expanded from 16 to 20 teams this time.
Bangladesh have been ousted after refusing to play in India because of their security concerns and Pakistan have announced a boycott of their game gainst India as a gesture of support to the neighbours.
Both countries have held India responsible for the turmoil, which began after Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman was released from an IPL contract on BCCI instructions.
Bangladesh’s refusal to be in India was also down to Rahman’s exit, which hurt their “national pride”. As a result, it would be Scotland padding up against the West Indies in Kolkata on Saturday.
The entire drama got doubly intriguing after Pakistan decided to go on a proverbial fishing expedition in muddied waters by showing their solidarity looking at the bigger political picture.
Pakistan had their Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, diving in to justify the decision, calling it appropriate.
Even before a delivery has been bowled, ICC and its broadcasters are staring at potential losses while Pakistan is preparing for some severe sanctions that can have far-reaching consequences.
While the recent Indo-Pak contests at global events have more often than not been lopsided, there is no denying the fact that the game still remains a cash-cow for the global cricket economy.
Aside from the drama, the cricket looks set to be dominated by India.
Despite the hype associated with this edition’s scale of participation, one isn’t really sure that there are enough teams to challenge India’s hegemony at least in this format.
If the game against Pakistan eventually happens at Premadasa, it would test the young Indian batters on a slightly tricky surface where Mohammed Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed and surprise package — side-armer Usman Tariq — have the best chance of asking a few questions. More than India, it would be Pakistan’s loss.
Pakistan open against the Netherlands in Colombo on Saturday, a match they are expected to win.
Overall, no team matches up to the Suryakumar Yadav-led India in terms of quality and performance.
While T20 remains a format of bare minimum margins, it seems India would be vulnerable only to a self-inflicted implosion, rather than opposition brilliance.
If India wins this edition of the T20 World Cup, it would be considered business as usual. If they lose, it would be an upset of huge magnitude because of the kind of form each player is in.
At the other end, there is Australia, always formidable across conditions but with no Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to start with, the bowling attack comprising Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett and Nathan Ellis looks slightly thin on paper.
But the batting line-up with Travis Head, Josh Inglis, skipper Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Tim David does bear a formidable look.
A lot would also depend on how the two spinners — Matt Kuhnemann and Adam Zampa — perform on big days.
As far as England is concerned, also have a slightly batting heavy line-up with skipper Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Ben Duckett and Phil Salt capable of giving any bowling line-up a run for its money.
But how they would fare against a Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will decide which direction the team’s campaign would take.
South Africa are also one of the strongest candidates for making the semi-final and boast of the second-best bowling attack after India with Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj capable of challenging any big team.
In batting, Quinton de Kock’s flair, Aiden Markram’s unpredictability, experience of David Miller and brashness of Ryan Rickleton and Tristan Stubbs will certainly come in handy.
New Zealand are always a team that comes up with decent performances and with already a month in the country, they would have acclimatised quicker compared to other teams.
Finn Allen’s confidence would be high after his show in the Big Bash League and the last T20I against India.
With Glenn Phillips and Daryl Mitchell also doing well, New Zealand look a very decent batting outfit for these conditions.
Lockie Ferguson’s pace, Jacob Duffy’s variations and skipper Mitchell Santner’s guile makes them a tough opposition in the Super Eights.
Sri Lanka, who will play at home, will always be a mighty opposition with spinners Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage and pacers Matheesha Pathirana, Dushmantha Chameera.
This is the first T20 World Cup featuring 20 teams and the West Indies, with their flair and propensity to commit harakiri, would always be a fascinating story.
Ditto for United States of America, a team which the cricket fraternity jokingly refers to as United States of ‘Asia’ because of its composition that is high expat talent from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
If there is one team among the associates that can make heads turn, it would certainly be Nepal, who would have second most on-ground following in this event.
Watch out for Dipendra Singh Airee, the man who holds the world record for the fastest T20I fifty — off 9 balls (vs Mongolia in Asian Games).
There is also Italy, a country known more for its footballing exploits. The side is led by Wayne Madsen, who is going to be a double sport World-Cupper, having represented his birth nation South Africa in field hockey.
