Andre Russell, Jason Holder & Nicholas Pooran keep West Indies hopes alive of Semis by winning a thriller against Bangladesh

West Indies won a nerve-wrecking match against Bangladesh by only 3 runs. This match was played at Sharjah on the 29th October .West Indies narrowly avoided embarrassment they are the defending champions & losing 3 matches on trot would have damaged their reputation. There is no significant improvement in the NRR (Net Run Rate) of West Indies as it is -1.598. West Indies have got self belief back that they can advance to the next stage but for that they first of all win the remaining 2 matches[ (Sri Lanka on 4th November at Abu Dhabi) (Australia on 6th November at Abu Dhabi)] & secondly await the results of other teams which may be suspenseful.

T20 World Cup 2021: West Indies virtually knock out Bangladesh with three-run win- The New Indian Express
SNAPSHOT: Andre Russell & Skipper Mahmudullah showing sportsman spirit after a narrow match

Bangladesh had won the toss & elected to bowl first. Bangladesh had to chase down 143 runs to avoid elimination. Dwayne Bravo was the stand in captain for Kieron Pollard (*Kieron Pollard wasn’t rested/dropped). Jason Holder got included into the main squad & in playing 11 (* Holder was kept as a reserve) as a replacement for Obed McCoy who got injured & subsequently was ruled out; Holder along with Russell & Co stranded Bangladesh’s power-play as they lost 2 wickets in which big fish was ‘Shakib’ as Bangladesh managed to score 29 runs.

West Indies made sure that they aren’t giving any freebies as the required run rate was well in the reach of attaining. West Indies had got rid of the dangerous Mushfiqur Rahim in the 14th over when Bangladesh required 53 runs in 39 balls as at that point Bangladesh were reduced to 90 runs for 4 wickets. In the last 5 overs Bangladesh required 44 runs with Skipper Mahmudullah & the Wicket-keeper Liton Das who was pacing the innings smoothly.

Both the batters were having a hit & miss as in the the last 2 overs Bangladesh required 23 runs. On the last ball of the 19th over Liton Das was caught at Long On by Jason Holder on the bowling off the experienced Campaigner Dwayne Bravo. Liton’s dismissal made the equation trickier as Bangladesh required 13 runs in the final over. Liton Das scored 44 runs in 43 balls which included 4 fours as striking the boundaries was tougher due to the pace variations executed by Bravo, Russell & Holder.

West Indies vs Bangladesh T20 World Cup, Highlights: West Indies Knock Bangladesh Out With Three Run Win
SNAPSHOT: Liton Das anchoring the run chase

Andre Russell was given the duty to restrict the target. Mahmudullah eked out doubles & singles but it wasn’t enough. Bangladesh required 8 runs in 3 balls ; as on the 4th bowl of the over the substitute fielder Andre Fletcher dropped Mahmudullah’s catch. But the equation was 6 off 2 which was gettable yet a long way off as Russell then executed pin point Yorkers to hand Bangladesh defeat as West Indies came out victorious by 3 runs. Mahmudullah gave his all but at the end he was on the losing side; he scored 31 runs in 24 balls which included 2 fours & 1 six.

WI vs BAN Highlights T20 World Cup 2021: Russell bowls magical last over as West Indies edge Bangladesh in thriller | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Andre Russell defeated 13 runs in the last over

All the pacers Rampaul, Holder, Bravo & Russell bowled with a lot of responsibility even after getting hit for a six as their experience paid off . Akeal Hossain the lone spinner introduced in the attack had put the brakes by not giving more than 6 overs in his 4 over spell. Jason Holder showed his worth by doing acrobatic fielding & impeccable bowling as keeping him on reserves wasn’t a good move.

Bangladesh vs West Indies Highlights, T20 World Cup 2021: WI pips BAN by three runs in nervy finish - Sportstar
SNAPSHOT: Jason Holder celebrating the dismissal of Mohammad Naim

West Indies were off to a horrendous start while batting first. They lost both Chris Gayle & Evin Lewis in the power-play overs as they scored 29 runs only. West Indies were losing the plot as at the end of 12th over West Indies were 61 runs for 3 wickets. In the middle of the 12th over i.e. 12.3 overs the skipper Kieron Pollard left the field by scoring 8 runs in 15 balls. The next ball Russell got run-out by the bower Taskin Ahmed at the bowler’s end as West Indies were in a deep trouble at 64-4 (* 5 wickets as there was uncertainty regarding whether Pollard would come in to bat or not) at the end of 13th over.

In the 14th over Roston Chase was reprieved by Mahedi Hasan when he was on 27 runs, wicket-keeper Liton Das missed a stumping chance of Nicholas Pooran when Pooran was on 2 on the spin bowling of Shakib. Both the opportunities went down irking as at 14 overs West Indies score was 70-4. In the last 6 overs Pooran & Chase went into bang-bang mode. In the last over Jason Holder smacked 2 sixes & to finish the innings on a high note Pollard came up with a maximum. The last 6 overs yielder 72 runs as the destruction was laid out by Nicholas Pooran who scored 40 runs in 22 balls. Chase’s knock of 39 runs in 46 balls was questionable but it gave liberty & freedom to Pooran.

T20 World Cup: West Indies keep title defence alive with three-run win over Bangladesh in Sharjah | Cricket News | Sky Sports
SNAPSHOT: Nicholas Pooran giving nightmares to the bowlers by smashing them all around the park.

Bangladesh saw an anti-climax with ball in hand as they were expecting a target around or less than 130 runs. Mustafizur, Shakib, Mahedi & Co did all the hard work but a short-phase of match proved to be defining.

The unpredictability of batting line up of West Indies needs to get sorted as luckily they got the better of the opponent. There is no room for error as they have to play like Champions of 2016 T20 World Cup.

Bangladesh’s remaining two fixtures : South Africa on 02 November at Abu Dhabi & Australia on 04 November at Dubai is an opportunity to test their bench strength & weaken opponent’s chances as they can’t go all the way which is sad but harsh reality.

India & New Zealand face off in a Virtual Knock-out Punch as the Race for Semi-Finals gets tightened up

Overview

India & New Zealand are due to face each other on the 31st of October at Dubai International Stadium. Both the teams were handed humiliating & heart-breaking defeats by the ‘Mercurial & Unpredictable’ Pakistan. Virat Kohli & Kane Williamson would avoid the embarrassment by winning; especially India who would like to break the hoodoo of 14-year drought period without an ICC T20 World Cup Trophy.

New Zealand has had the wood over India in ICC T20 World Cups as both the teams have been clashed 2 times:

  • 1st instance was at the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007 where the hosts where South Africa. New Zealand overcame India by winning the match by 10 runs as a gigantic target of 191 runs was a bit too much at that period of time. The multi-star-studded batting line up which consisted of (*former batters) Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir tried but pressure got better of them as New Zealand’s bowlers were throwing unexpected surprises as the damage was done by the former left arm off spinner Daniel Vettori who had taken 4 wickets.
  • 2nd instance was in the last edition of ICC T20 World Cup 2016 at India. New Zealand had annihilated India by winning the match by 47 runs as New Zealand had bowled out India for 79 runs given the target of 127 runs. It was a shocking loss for India as Kiwi’s spinners had duped India batsmen who are known to be very good spin batters as the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli & Co was left stunned & flabbergasted by the immaculateness of Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi(** currently both of the spinners are in the playing 11) & Nathan McCullum(*former) who took 7 wickets amongst themselves.

In the recent times India has settled the record with New Zealand as in 2020 there was a bilateral 5 T20I Match Series in New Zealand in which India had whitewashed Kiwis. The overall record of India-New Zealand T20I matches stands at 6-8 out of 16 matches (* 2 matches were abandoned due to rain).

  • India

For India this is literally a do-or-die match as already their NRR (Net Run Rate) is -0.973. India’s conundrum of tackling swing bowling had got exposed as India had lost 3 wickets in power-play overs. The annoying problem for India is that Hardik Pandya isn’t 100 % match fit to play as an all-rounder as playing 5 bowlers isn’t a feasible option. Suryakumar Yadav who got drafted into playing 11 needs to play according to the situation as every time going for boundaries that too in crisis period isn’t a favourable option.

This is the first & last T20 World Cup for Virat Kohli as the Captain of Team India as earlier (before the start of the second leg of Vivo IPL 2021) he had announced his decision. Virat Kohli undoubtedly is one of the finest & greatest batters in the history of T20I Cricket as in the 1st match, he had showcased his prowess by scoring a fighting half century of 57 runs against Pakistan when the team was in a deep muddle. As of now India needs Virat the Leader who trusts his team players & most importantly makes sensible & practical decisions as picking Varun Chakravarthy over Ravichandran Ashwin is a blunder given the wealth of experience & skill Ashwin possesses.

SNAPSHOT: Virat Kohli raising his bat after leading the batting (57 runs) against Pakistan.

India may tinker with the bowling combination as all the three pacers: Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Jasprit Bumrah weren’t that much effective & productive. Shardul Thakur can come in as a replacement for any one of the pacers or for Hardik Pandya as he is a pinch-hitter too who can be handy in tense situation. One of KL Rahul & Rohit Sharma have to take responsibility of batting at-least till the 10th over as their presence keeps the opponent frightened.

  • New Zealand

New Zealand would rue the fact that they lost against Pakistan as at one situation they were in a commanding position & bossing the game. New Zealand’s NRR is not far behind from India as it stands at -0.532. New Zealand’s middle order is a bit fragile as the skipper Kane Williamson has to try & bat through the entire quota of 20 overs. James Neesham’s batting position needs to get sorted as he has batted as a finisher at No.6 or 7 throughout his career.

New Zealand astonishingly opened with the all-rounder Daryl Mitchell who had a decent outing as he scored a quick fire 27 runs in 20 balls but in doing so Tim Seifert the swashbuckling batter batted at No.7 position which affected the innings at the back end as Seifert wasn’t clearing the rope.

Before the start of their opening match against Pakistan; New Zealand were halted by the calf injury of the speedster Lockie Ferguson which ruled him out of the tournament. Lockie’s absence would hurt as he is one of the best amongst the crop of  Kiwis & World Cricket at death overs; while on the other side the gates have been opened for Adam Milne (*reserve player) who somewhat has shades of the former New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond who coincidentally is New Zealand’s fast bowling consultant. New Zealand are high on pace bowlers as they have the lanky Kyle Jamieson & the duo of Tim Southee-Trent Boult as these pacers are intimidating regardless of the pitch.

  • Pitch & Conditions

Dubai’s pitch is expected to be a run feast as the teams should target a score around 160-180 runs & even more as dew can be a decisive factor.

  • Keys to succeed in India vs New Zealand match

India’s strength is their power-packed batting line up; if they win the toss they should opt to bat irrespective of the conditions as New Zealand’s batting is topsy-turvy & scratchy.

New Zealand’s USP is their bowling as their bowling line up has got ingredients to suppress the opponent; but for that to happen the batters need to put a formidable total of 150-160 runs as 130 odd runs won’t win too many matches.

  • India is known to produce staggering performances to raise against the circumstances & would believe that the hopes of a billion people aren’t diminished.
  • New Zealand team’s idiosyncrasy is that they play like a team where they aren’t dependent on a single individual as they subsequently find multiple match winners on the given day.

It would be fascinating to see as which team’s journey would be stroked as both the teams are due to face Afghanistan, Scotland & Namibia where most likely they won’t have their fate in their hands. India have made it to the Semi Finals 3 times out of 6 (* 2007, 2014 & 2016) whereas New Zealand’s ratio is 2 times out of 6 (* 2007 & 2016).

Mitchell Starc & David Warner Pulverised Sri Lanka as Australia registered 2 wins out of 2

Australia handed a massive defeat to Sri Lanka by clinching the match by 7 wickets with 3 overs remaining as the target was of 155 runs ; match was played at Dubai on the 28th October. Australia who came into this tournament as a dark horse are showing & playing like the “AUSTRALIA” of 1990s & 2000s as it is often said Aussies know how to win ICC Tournaments (* Australia have never ever won a ICC World T20 World Cup). Closing the match has given a boost of NRR to Australia which is +0.727.

Australia vs Sri Lanka, T20 World Cup 2021 Highlights: David Warner shines, Australia beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Aaron Finch & David Warner guided the run chase..

Australia had won the toss & put Sri Lanka to bat. While chasing the target of 155 runs Aaron Finch & David Warner toyed with Sri Lanka’s bowlers; especially in the 4th over when Lahiru Kumara came into the attack as both of them whacked him all around the park & scored 20 runs off his over. At the end of 4 overs Australia scored 43 runs & just when opportunity knocked the door for Sri Lanka; Kusal Perera the wicket-keeper dropped a dolly on the bowling off Dushmantha Chameera which was the 5th over & gave a life to Warner who was on 18 runs. At the end of the power-play overs Australia cruised to 63 runs unscathed.

Wanindu Hasaranga struck two quick wickets which were of Finch & Glenn Maxwell as Australia surprisingly promoted him to No.3. Finch made the most of his form & momentum as he played a dashing knock of 37 runs in 23 balls. At the time of Maxwell’s dismissal Australia required 77 runs in 69 balls as Sri Lanka sensed that they can perturb Australia but Warner along with the unorthodox Steven Smith decided their roles.

Wanindu Hasaranga celebrates Aaron Finch's wicket
SNAPSHOT: Wanindu Hasaranga celebrating after taking a wicket

Warner silenced all the white noise & criticism regarding his form by scoring 65 runs in 42 balls which included 10 fours as Warner played maturely as in his batting there were Shades of the old Warner of Red Ball & White Ball player/batter. Smith played a calm & composed inning of 28 runs in 26 balls as he gave appropriate respect to each & every ball. The finishing duties were completed by the flamboyant all-rounder Marcus Stoinis who played a quick cameo of 16 runs in 7 balls. Wanindu Hasaranga was the only pick of the bowlers who took wickets as well as controlled the flow of runs as he gave away 22 runs.

David Warner raises his half-century
SNAPSHOT: David Warner raising his bat after scoring a half-century

Asked to bat first Sri Lanka were off to a rollicking start as they scored 53 runs in the power-play overs for the loss of 1 wicket which was of Pathum Nissanka. Kusal Perera & Charith Aslanka were audacious as they didn’t feared to take on the likes of Starc, Hazlewood & Cummins. Before the drinks break Adam Zampa broke the partnership of Aslanka & Perera as he prised out Asalanka for 35 runs. After the drinks break (10th over) Mitchell Starc bowled a fiery yorker to Kusal Perera to castle his off stump as before that delivery Perera had hit him for a gigantic six at long on; Starc may have taken that six on his ego & made sure that Australia see the back of Kusal Perera. Kusal Perera scored 35 runs in 25 balls & he was looking ominous . Sri Lanka were 86 runs for 3 wickets in 10.3 overs & after that Australia reduced Sri Lanka to 95 runs for the loss of 5 wickets in 13 overs.

Mitchell Starc bowled Kusal Perera with a searing yorker
SNAPSHOT: Mitchell Starc clean bowled Kusal Perera

Aaron Finch played a master-stroke by giving 2 overs to Starc in the middle phase which resulted in the scalps of Kusal & Hasranaga. Bhanuka Rajapakse & skipper Dasun Shanaka tried to avoid a collapse but in doing so Shanaka ated a lot of balls as he scored 12 runs in 19 balls whereas Rajapakse scored 33 runs in 26 balls & took Sri Lanka’s total to 154 runs for the loss of 6 wickets. Adam Zampa is proving to be the lethal weapon as he not only took 2 wickets but gave away only 17 runs in his 4 overs.

Adam Zampa ended a fifty stand with Charith Asalanka's wicket, Australia vs Sri Lanka, 2021 Men's T20 World Cup, Dubai, October 28, 2021
SNAPSHOT: Adam Zampa in the centre (without cap) congratulated for bowling economical & productive spell

Sri Lanka should not put the entire blame on the dropped catch by Kusal Perera as it is a part & parcel of the game. Sri Lanka errored by picking up only 2 frontline spinners giving the vulnerability of Australian batters. Sri Lanka should not weep about this loss as they still can make it Semis given the nature of the wickets. Sri Lanka’s next match is scheduled against South Africa on 30th October where both the teams have won & lost 1. Recently both Sri Lanka & South Africa played a bilateral 3 T20I Match Series in September 2021 in Sri Lanka in which South Africa had white-washed them; since then a lot has changed given the form of Sri Lanka now has where they defeated Namibia, Ireland Netherlands’ as they were the table-toppers of Qualifiers & they also tasted success against Bangladesh in Group Stage.

Australia would be enthralled by such a puissant performance where there were instances of panicking but they didn’t let the situation take a hold on them. Australia’s next match is against England on 30th October as both the teams are yet to be defeated. England vs Australia Match winner will most probably & definitely book a Semi- Final berth. Australia would be wary of the the style of Cricket which England plays as both Australia & England can take this match as a dress-rehearsal for the finale.

JJ Smit,Ruben Trumpelmann & Co made a strong statement as they buried Scotland

Namibia won their first Super 12 match against Scotland by 4 wickets with 4 balls left as Scotland were blown hot & cold as they managed only 109 runs at Abu Dhabi on 27th October. For Namibia this is a state of elation as they had come in the tournament as a rookie (*maiden appearance in T20 World Cup) & qualified by beating teams like Netherland & Ireland who have always given tough times to strong teams. Namibia are proving to be the silent assassiners who can damage the momentum of star teams as defeating Scotland and any associate nation doesn’t happen overnight.

SCO vs NAM, T20 World Cup 2021: Namibia beats Scotland by four wickets - Sportstar
SNAPSHOT: JJ Smit scored the winning runs

Namibia had won the toss & opted to bowl first. Namibia started their innings in tranquility as they made sure that they don’t lose wickets in quick succession; they scored 29 runs for the loss of 1 wicket in the power-play overs. Scotland introduced spin & immediately results were seen as runs dried up which eventually led up to wickets. Chris Greaves the right arm leg spinner, Michael Leask the right arm off spinner & Mark Watt the left arm off spinner provided breakthroughs & applied breaks. Craig Williams the veteran batter of Namibia got impatient as he throwed his wicket; at that point of time Namibia were 67 runs for 4 wickets in 12.3 overs, requiring 43 runs in 45 balls which was gettable yet tough.

David Wiese the hard hitting batter & finisher who earlier had represented South Africa in ICC T20 World Cup 2016 was at the crease along with the young sensation JJ Smit. The task was cut out for Namibia as they needed to bat maturley & wait for errors from bowlers. Both the batters showed a lot of application & pressed the button of wrapping up the match by scoring quick 2s & odd boundary with an unexpected 6; both of them were involved in 35 run partnership. Wiese tried a bit too hard & lost his wicket when the team were requiring 8 runs from 2.3 overs as he scored a critical 16 runs from 14 balls. Scotland tried to pull the game back but it was a tad too late as Smit scored the winning runs as Namibia upsetted Scotland. JJ Smit scored 32 runs in 23 balls which included 2 fours & 2 sixes which displayed his character.

Scotland vs Namibia HIGHLIGHTS, T20 World Cup live: Smit cameo seals first win for NAM in Super 12 - Sportstar
SNAPSHOT: JJ Smit pacing the run chase.

Greaves & Watt both of the spin bowlers took 1 wicket each & gave away 22 runs; but in the context of the match the bowlers were required to take more wickets especially the wealth of fast bowling which Scotland possesses as they have got Bradley Wheal, Josh Davey & Safyaan Sharif who are with the team since more than 5 years . The only way Scotland would have won was by bowling out Namibia which couldn’t happen. Scotland is in a deep muddle as earlier in Super 12s they got hammered by Afghanistan by 130 runs. Scotland too are in their Maiden T20 World Cup but their performance is not reflecting their hard work & dedication; they were the table toppers of T20 World Cup Qualifiers as they defeated Bangladesh, PNG & Oman.

Ruben Trumpelmann the left arm fast bowler of Namibia broke the back of Scotland’s batting line up in the first over itself as he took 3 wickets & became the first bowler to achieve the fate in T20I. His angle of making the ball go away from left & right handed batsmen was a treat to watch. In the power-play overs Scotland managed to score 22 runs only as they lost 4 wickets. Matt Cross & Michael Leask the spin bowling all-rounder steadied the ship as they stitched a partnership of 39 runs in which Cross not only struggled but in frustration lost his stumps.

Scotland vs Namibia T20 World Cup 2021 Highlights: Namibia beat Scotland by four wickets | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Ruben Trumpelmann pumped up after picking 3 wickets in an over

Greaves & Leask started making some in-roads as they were involved in 36 run partnership; but too much pre-meditation & courage dampened the road. Leask played a staggering knock of 44 runs in 27 balls which included 4 fours & 2 sixes while Chris Greaves wasn’t upto the mark as he scored 25 runs in 32 balls.

Namibia’s skipper Gerhard Erasmus & Coaching staff are using all the tricks in the book to overcome any opposition & they are overwhelming the opponent too. Namibia’s next match is against Afghanistan at Abu Dhabi which can sprung a lot of surprises as they have started playing proper brand of cricket which is: “If bowlers don’t win the match then batters have to win it & vice versa”.

Scotland’s NRR has taken a huge dip as of now it is -3.562. Scotland should forget about winning & losing because first of all they need to fight which is somewhat missing. Scotland’s next match is scheduled against New Zealand on 3rd of November at Dubai which is at some distance. Scotland now need to play for their pride as defeating any one of New Zealand, Pakistan & India will make Headlines.

Tymal Mills, Jason Roy & Co gave a Reality Check to Bangladesh

England won the match by 8 wickets against Bangladesh which was played at Abu Dhabi on 27th October. England chased down the target of 125 runs with 5.5 overs remaining. England now have a whopping NRR (Net Run Rate) of +3.61 which now has kept them in a good stead as things can get ugly at the later stages of the tournament.

England vs Bangladesh LIVE: Score and result from T20 World Cup 2021 fixture today | The Independent
SNAPSHOT: Jonny Bairstow shaking hands with Mahedi Hasan after scoring the winning runs

Bangladesh had won the toss & elected to bat first & while doing so they stumbled & scored 124 runs for the loss of 9 wickets. England’s openers Jason Roy & Jos Buttler came out all guns blazing as England scored 50 runs in the power-play overs for the loss of 1 wicket which was of Jos Buttler. It was expected that Bangladesh’s spinners would thrive on spinning tracks especially considering the weakness of England; but it turned out to be different as Roy was toying with every bowler even with the likes of ‘Fizz’ Mustafizur Rahman & Shakib Al Hasan.

Roy scored a splendid knock of 61 runs in 38 balls in which he hit 5 fours & 3 sixes. The peculiarity of Roy’s knock was that he didn’t feared to go down the track & assert his authority & dominance. Roy was accompanied by England’s umbrella man Dawid Malan who played a second fiddle as he scored 28 runs in 25 balls.

England vs Bangladesh Highlights T20 World Cup 2021: Roy, bowlers shine as England crush Bangladesh by 8 wickets | Hindustan Times
SNAPSHOT: Jason Roy plundering the bowlers

Batting first Bangladesh was in tatters as they lost 3 wickets in the power-play overs for a mere 27 runs. Bangladesh’s innings never got off to a start as none of their batters scored 30 runs. Mushfiqur Rahim tried to put the innings on track but he got out on 29 runs leaving an improbable task on the next players. Eoin Morgan used all his resources next to perfection as he gave the ball to the part-time spinner Liam Livingstone who bagged the wicket of Rahim & Mahmudullah.

England beats Bangladesh by 8 wickets at T20 World Cup
SNAPSHOT: Liam Livingstone became a dark horse as he took 2 wickets

The pick of the bowlers was Tymal Mills who was dexterous as his wicked variations proved to be nightmare as he finished with the figures of 3 wickets for 27 runs. Tyamal Mills would be grateful to the fact that ECB (England Cricket Board) entrusted him as he wasn’t a part of national team setup since last 3 years. Chris Woakes proved his credentials as he gave away only 12 runs in his 4 over spell & took 1 wicket of the big fish ‘Shakib’.

T20 World Cup 2021: Match 20, England vs Bangladesh – 10 best memes of the match
SNAPSHOT: Tymal Mills celebrating after taking a wicket

Bangladesh need to go back to the drawing board as now they have lost 2 matches out of 2 & their qualification hopes look bleak as they need to win all the next 3 matches. The senior batters Shakib, Rahim & Mahmudullah need to decide their role as one of them has to be present at the end of the innings irrespective of the circumstances as the other batters are naive.

Bangladesh’s next match is against West Indies on 29th October at Sharjah. Bangladesh vs West Indies clash would be an eliminator especially for West Indies as they are the defending champions whereas Bangladesh would look to spoil the party; the same way which they had done in the inaugural T20 World Cup 2007.

Bangladesh begin with a bang | BAN v WI | T20WC 2007
SNAPSHOT: Bangladesh’s team in Jubilation after defeating West Indies & eliminating them in ICC T20 World Cup 2007

England so far are proving to be a major threat as their weakness is not exploited. Their next match is scheduled against their arch-rivals Australia on the 30th October at Dubai. If England can overcome Australia hurdle then they would be serious contenders to lift the trophy irrespective of Australia’s lack of camaraderie in T20I as Australia is known for denting opponent team’s confidence.

Haris Rauf, Malik & Asif Ali Dethroned New Zealand as Pakistan inch closer to the Semi-Finals

Pakistan snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as they outclassed New Zealand & won the game by 5 wickets with 1.2 overs left in the tank. This match of Group 2 was played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium on the 26th of October. Pakistan now have bagged 2 matches out of 2 & now they would be keen to inflict a lot of damage by winning the next 3 matches. New Zealand would hope that this is a passing shower & would reflect the performance as a one-off.

The unbeaten stand between Shoaib Malik and Asif Ali sealed it for Pakistan
SNAPSHOT: Shoaib Malik & Asif Ali taking Pakistan to victory after a hard-fought victory.

Pakistan had won the toss & elected to bowl first. New Zealand had set a a below par yet a challenging total of 135 runs. New Zealand’s bowlers were bang on target with impeccable line & lengths as Pakistan managed only 30 runs for the loss of a mammoth wicket of the skipper Babar Azam who was foxed by Tim Southee in the 6th over where he bowled an off-cutter to thrash his stumps. Mohammad Rizwan then took care of the run chase as he was making sure that he doesn’t consume the balls. Rizwan on one hand was holding the ship while at the other end Mohammad Hafeez & Fakhar Zaman were duped by the spin web of Mitchell Santner & Ish Sodhi; & all of a sudden the required run rate cropped to 8 runs per over as Pakistan were 63 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in 11 overs. Within a blink of eye Rizwan got departed too as he scored 33 runs in 34 balls & it looked like Pakistan won’t make a match out of it. New Zealand’s spinners bowled a lot of disciplined line & lengths as they forced the Pakistan batsmen to press the panic button.

In the last 8 overs Pakistan required 65 runs which was tricky considering the nature of the pitch which was two paced. On the crease was the only Cricketer who has participated in all the 7 ICC T20 World Cup Tournament Shoaib Malik & with him the left arm off spinner Imad Wasim was there. Malik & Imad were cautious as they were taking absolutely no risks & focusing on rotating the strike. Trent Boult was introduced in the 14th Over & he got rid of Imad Wasim & in the last 5 overs Pakistan required 44 runs to win with Malik & Asif Ali at the crease. In the 17th over there was carnage as Asif Ali hit 2 consecutive sixes to Tim Southee & all of a sudden Pakistan were bossing the game as Pakistan required 24 of 3 overs. Asif Ali & Shoaib Malik wasted no more time as they wrapped up the match as Pakistan won by 5 wickets. New Zealand need to quickly sort out their bowling combination as specific roles should be given promptly to the likes of Boult & Southee as their job is to take wickets.

SNAPSHOT: Haris Rauf elated after knocking out the stumps of Martin Guptil.

New Zealand were asked to bat first. New Zealand got to a steady start but just at the brink of the power-play overs Martin Guptill was bowled out at 17 runs by Haris Rauf. Daryl Mitchell was promoted up the order as an opener & he somewhat made the most of the opportunity by scoring a quick fire cameo of 27 runs in 20 balls. Kane Williamson resurrected the innings along with Devon Conway. At 13 overs the score of New Zealand was 90 runs for the loss of 3 wickets & it looked like they can put a competitive total of more than 150 runs; but Hasan Ali the fast bowler got better of Williamson as he was run out by a turbulent piece of fielding. The dismissal of Williamson proved to be the turning point as in the next 7 overs New Zealand managed to score only 44 runs. Haris Rauf the speedster was the wrecker in chief as he took 4 wickets & gave away only 27 runs whereas the rest of the bowling line up supported each other throughout the match.

Hasan Ali was confident after getting in a direct hit
SNAPSHOT: Hasan Ali celebrating the wicket of Kane Williamson after running him out.

New Zealand may have made a mistake by not opening the batting with Tim Seifert who is a basher who can cut the opponent in half in the initial stages of the match; keeping him at no.7 was doing a bit injustice to his potential & talent.

Pakistan would hope that they avoid collapses as this nemesis is been there since ages. Asif Ali made a statement that he can be a finisher on the given day irrespective of his previous performances as he was initially not named in the squad & the same applied to Shoaib Malik.

New Zealand are slated to play next against the hosts India at 31st October at the Dubai International Stadium. That clash could be decisive as it is a virtual knock out match; whereas Pakistan are going to play Afghanistan on 29th October at Dubai International Stadium. Both India & Pakistan played their inaugural match at Dubai in which Pakistan bamboozled India.

New Zealand & India need to pull up their socks as one more match could weaken their chances of Semi Finals whereas Pakistan would hope that they don’t prolong their qualification.

Markram, Rassie & Bowlers Stunned West Indies as the Defending Champions are in a Disarray

South Africa opened their account in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 by defeating West Indies by 8 wickets at the Duai International Cricket Stadium on the 26th of October. Both South Africa & West Indies had lost their opening match against Australia & England respectively. The defeat for West Indies is a wake up call not because they have lost 2 matches back-to-back but their NRR (Net Run Rate) has taken a major jolt by -2.55. South Africa would breath a sigh of relief as their team is not star-studded & just before the start of the match Quinton De Kock had opted out due to the BLM (Black Lives Matter) Movement which is open to debate especially the history which CSA (Cricket South Africa) has.

T20 World Cup 2021, South Africa vs Windies (Super 12): Markram's sublime 50 hands 8-wicket win to Protea
SNAPSHOT: Rassie van der Dussen & Aiden Markram shaking hands with West Indies players after winning convincingly

West Indies had posted a below par target of 144 runs. South Africa were not only with the services of De Kock but also in the first over their skipper Temba Bavuma got dismissed as he was undone by the athleticism of Andre Russell. Reeza Hendricks & Rassie van der Dussen made sure that they don’t throw the game. The power-play for South Africa was a decent one as they scored 42 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Rassie was playing the role of anchor while at the other end Reeza was punishing the bowlers as an odd boundary was also scored which was ample. Reeza & Rassie were involved in a 57 runs partnership & the dismissal of Reeza just gave a slight thin ray of hope to West Indies as the Cricketing World is evident that South Africa have fallen like a pack of cards.

ICC T20 WC, SA vs WI highlights: South Africa beat West Indies by 8 wickets | Business Standard News
SNAPSHOT: Aiden Markram in a beast mode

The time Aiden Markram came into the crease South Africa required 78 runs in last 10 overs. Markram had another ideas as he played a blistering knock of 51 runs in just 26 balls in which he had hit 4 humongous sixes & 2 fours which is scintillating. Markram was the assassiner as he not spared even the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard & Andre Russell. At the other hand Rassie scored 43 runs in 51 balls which is & may be a little bit more deliveries according to the standards of T20 World Cricket but in this circumstances his knock was a invaluable. Markram made a statement that an opening batter can also fit in the middle order & play according to the situation.

Invited to bat first West Indies had a moderate power-play as they scored 43 runs for no wickets in which Lendl Simmons the experienced campaigner & veteran was seen struggling so much badly as he did not hit a single boundary. The onus was on Evin Lewis & he took the responsibility as he played a furious knock of 56 runs in 35 balls in which there were 6 sixes & 3 fours. Simmons continued to struggle & at the end he scored 16 runs in 35 balls which is by no means acceptable at this level given the exposure & experience he has had. At 15 overs West Indies were 95 runs for the loss of 3 wickets while Pollard & Chris Gayle were present at the strike.

T20 World Cup: Lewis hits fifty before West Indies lose momentum to post 143/8 against South Africa- The New Indian Express
SNAPSHOT: Evin Lewis thrashing the bowlers all around the park.

West Indies pressed the 5th gear but it was a bit too late as batters were coming & seen going within a blink of eye. Pollard scored 26 runs in 20 balls while the other batters didn’t last long enough. Dwaine Pretorius the all-rounder proved to be the uninvited wicket-taker as he took 3 wickets that were of Pollard & Gayle. Keshav Maharaj the left-arm off spinner who is a tyro in International Cricket T20 is playing mind games through his TEST match bowling & while doing so he got 2 wickets of Evin Lewis & Nicholas Pooran. South Africa are hunting in a pack as they are not reliant on a single bowler as the duo of Rabada-Nortje are proving to be too hot to handle & the secret weapon of spin is mind-boggling.

Group 1 is on knife edge as of now South Africa are with 2 points from 2 matches whereas England, Australia & Sri Lanka have 2 points in 1 match. West Indies is going to face Bangladesh on 29th October at Sharjah whereas South Africa’s next match is against Sri Lanka on 30th October at Sharjah. The change of venues can bring change of fortunes for both these teams as they have sufficient time to regroup.

West Indies need to regroup & talk regarding the playing positions as well as regarding their role as chopping & changing from now onwards would be their exit from the tournament.

South Africa needs to move on if Quinton de Kock doesn’t want to play as a player is no bigger than the team & nation whether he is a prolific or star cricketer.

Keys to Win ICC T20 World Cup 2021 & the Expected Augury

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is going to commence on 23rd October. The Matches will be played at Sharjah, Abu Dhabi & Dubai which will make the tournament mouth-watering irrespective of the heat because the change of conditions can throw a lot of surprises. There are 2 groups made in which 8 teams have been placed with 4 in each group (* 4 more teams will be inducted after the Qualifying Stage gets over). The Groups are listed as follows:

Group 1Group 2
EnglandIndia
AustraliaPakistan
South AfricaNew Zealand
West IndiesAfghanistan
  • Group 1

Group 1 is evenly poised as there is not only cut-throat competition but every team’s match is on the edge of knife as there are no looseners. Group 1 is as follows:

#England

YearPerformance
2016Runners Up
2014Group Stage
2012Group Stage
2010Champions

The Last 4 T20 World Cup indicates that England are making good in roads in T20 World Cricket especially in 2010.

  • England have got everything to be the Champions as they are ticking each & every box whether it is batting, bowling, fielding & Captaincy as Eoin Morgan may be facing criticism of his batting but his presence in the batting line up is still threatening.
  • Their conundrum is facing spin which every team will exploit & for that they should just keep in their heed that they should cut the opponent in half in the power-play overs.
  • England have got an umbrella man in the form of Dawid Malan the unorthodox batsman & currently the No.1 T20 Batsman whose presence will boost team chances according to the conditions of UAE.
  • The barrier for England is that they have got problems in the pace department regarding the death overs & for that they should use Tymal Mills the cunning left arm fast bowler who can create difficult angles for batters to hit.
  • The spin duo of Moeen Ali & Adil Rashid need to bowl in tandem as long as possible because bowling in partnerships perturbs the batters.

#Australia

YearPerformance
2016Group Stage
2014Group Stage
2012Semi Finalists
2010Runners Up

The Last 4 T20 World Cups have been topsy-turvy as they have shown glimpses of becoming Champions but succumbed to pressure in 2010 T20 World Cup

  • Australia have got back all their star players into the mix as the likes of Smith, Warner, Finch, Maxwell, Cummins, Hazlewood & Starc which will possess a sort of fear factor in opponent’s minds.
  • Australia should assign someone like Maxwell, Stoinis or Mitchel Marsh to finish the games as Smith, Warner & Finch won’t every-time deliver the knock-out punch.
  • Spin Department of Australia is somewhat underrated with Zampa & Agar who need to make sure that they are not increasing the work of the fast bowlers as spinners need to slow down the run rate.
  • Australia have developed a very bad habit of falling like a pack of cards which will worsen their campaign & for that they need to play smartly that too pragmatically.
  • Skipper Aaron Finch needs to be shrewd as making witty decisions will determine the fate of Australia.

#South Africa

YearPerformance
2016Group Stage
2014Semi Finalists
2012Group Stage
2010Group Stage

The Last 4 T20 World Cups are conveying a message that South Africa is living up to their chokers tag.

  • South Africa have been bolstered not by the absence of Senior Players like Faf & Tahir but by the performance of in form players like Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock & the newly appointed skipper Temba Bavuma.
  • South Africa have now developed a tendency to play like a team as they are not dependent on a single player which is rare.
  • Surprisingly this time South Africa have found a new weapon which is spin as they have Shamsi, Keshav & Fortuin which have thwarted batters.
  • Temba Bavuma & the Coach Mark Boucher needs to apply the theory of horses for courses as the use of Rabada, Ngidi & Nortje will decide their fate.
  • David Miller needs to bat more responsibility as he is the only experienced middle order batter who has seen the highs &lows of South Africa in T20 World Cup.

#West Indies

YearPerformance
2016Winners
2014Semi Finalists
2012Winners
2010Group Stage

The Last 4 T20 World Cups have been instrumental as West Indies is the only team in the history to win 2 Championships.

  • West Indies have brought back the veterans Rampaul, Gayle, DJ Bravo & a lot of players who were the part of the 2012 & 2014 T20 World Cup Triumph.
  • The missing middle order jigsaw of Marlon Samules has been seeing missing but West Indies have found a like to like replacement in the form of Roston Chase who astonishingly is going to make his debut in International Twenty 20 Cricket.
  • West Indies have a lot of bashers present in the form of Pollard, Russell, Bravo and their main trait is that they can wrap up the game in 1 over.
  • West Indies nemesis is spin as going bang-bang against spinners won’t be the solution as the opponent teams will ruin their match and the only way, they can overcome is that they should wait for chances/mistakes from spinners.
  • There is a large scale of youth & experience which is great but at the same time there has to be some clarity as it is said too many cooks destroy the food.
  • England & South Africa will most probably qualify for ICC T20 World Cup Semi Finals.
  • England is on a roll as they have got players for every situation which will keep them in good stead
  • South Africa is going to be the party spoilers as Proteas have found a way to dismantle the opponent through simple yet winning tricks
  • Australia is hoping to get hands on title on the 11th hour which doesn’t happen overnight
  • West Indies is hoping for a 3rd Title but it seems unlikely as the pressure of defending champions will be on their mind.
  • Group 2

Group 2 is literally a fight-out between India, Pakistan & New Zealand. Group 2 is as follows

#India

YearPerformance
2016Semi Finalists
2014Runners up
2012Group Stage
2010Group Stage

In the last 4 T20 World Cups India has failed to cross the final hurdle as every time an unexpected match winner comes and ruins the hopes of a billion people.

  • India has to make it clear this time that they have to clinch the title as the drought of 14 years without T20 World Cup doesn’t justify by any means & for that they need their team members to remain calm in a nightmare situation which this time may happen as the former Legendary Captain MS Dhoni is back as a Mentor.
  • The spin department of India has shown that they can be ruthless as the spin duo of Jadeja & Ashwin is back and the inclusion of the novice yet crafty spinners Varun Chakravarthy & Rahul Chahar will make the opponents wary of the dice which India will throw.
  • Virat Kohli & team management (Ravi Shastri, *Rohit Sharma [vice-Captain] & MS Dhoni) need to be clear that they are not chopping & changing their playing 11 like whole sale as believing in the team members is optimum as Championships are won by the team not by one or two individuals.
  • The pace department of India is fast & furious with deceptive variations as the likes of Bhuvneshwar, Shami, Bumrah & Shardul would be eager to roar while these pacers should keep their heads up even if they get beating as they should emphasize on process.
  • Virat Kohli has announced that he is going to quit T20I Captaincy after T20 World Cup which somewhat is a catalyst as he will give it all to make this World Cup Count & for that to happen, he should lead from the front not as a batter but as a captain who stands behind his team-mates.

#Pakistan

YearPerformance
2016Group Stage
2014Group Stage
2012Semi Finalists
2010Semi Finalists

The Last 4 T20 World Cups states that Pakistan is an unpredictable & mercurial team who can upset anyone & vice versa.

  • Pakistan have got their Veteran, Legendary & Senior Players back in the form of Malik & Hafeez who can play with the minds of opposition & they know how to win Titles.
  • Pakistan have got a dashing & sensible wicket-keeper batter in the form of Rizwan who is taking the responsibilities & reducing the pressure on other players & he needs to continue the role of enforcer as at the other end Babar Azam can play till the end of the innings.
  • Pakistan has played a lot of Cricket in UAE in the last decade which may work in their favor & for that too happen they should not panic as their first match is against their arch-rivals India who have an upper hand throughout the history of ICC T20 World Cup with 5-0.
  • Pakistan’s spinners Shadab & Imad are somewhat lethal too as they bowl in tandem & it looks like Malik & Hafeez would roll up their arm too which will create a web around batters.
  • The Pace Battery of Pakistan should look to do the bulk of work-load particularly in the death overs even if the conditions are suiting spinners as opponent teams players are smart enough for any error.

#New Zealand

YearPerformance
2016Semi Finalists
2014Semi Finalists
2012Group Stage
2010Group Stage

New Zealand is somewhat the dark-horses & consistent team in the last 4 T20 World Cups.

  • New Zealand is banking on their pace bowling as they have got Southee, Boult, Ferguson & Jamieson who are sturdy enough to create havoc through express pace & they should make sure that they don’t get disheartened
  • Skipper Kane Williamson has a humongous task ahead of him as in the middle order the selectors have dropped/refused the veteran Ross Taylor who is used to construct the innings which is not a good decision.
  • New Zealand need to play wait & hunt game as taking risks won’t be an ideal way as the batting line up is fragile with the likes of Tim Seifert, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway & Glenn Philips who don’t have ample International Experience
  • The likes of Mitchell Santner, Todd Astle & Ish Sodhi are astute with their spin as New Zealand can dethrone the opponent & for that to happen New Zealand should not hesitate to play 3 spinners given the conditions.
  • New Zealand would hope that James Neesham play according to his credentials as his inclusion in the team is an ominous sign as he can take the game away with both bat & ball.

#Afghanistan

YearPerformance
2016Group Stage
2014,2012,2010*Did not Qualify

Afghanistan is a team which is a tyro in terms of experience but in 2016 they had defeated West Indies in the Group Stage match.

  • Afghanistan should keep one thing in mind that spin is not going to be the alone weapon as their batters need to put a show & score runs in excess of 150-160.
  • Afghanistan have brought back the likes of Asghar Afghan & Mohammad Shahzad who are capable of playing cameos as well as architecting the innings.
  • The spin troika of Rashid, Mujeeb & Nabi is threatening not only with their cunning variations but with their ability to wrap up the over in a span of 2-3 minutes due to which the batter doesn’t even know when the over was started.
  • The pace department looks a bit weak link as their pacers the likes of Hamid Hassan, Karim Janat & Naveen-ul-Haq haven’t played enough cricket with their team in the recent times.
  • Afghanistan would hope that their blistering batter Zazai would be able to rip the opponent as his batting technique is quite destructive.
  • India & Pakistan will most probably advance to the Semi Finals where Pakistan & New Zealand can get tied on points & ultimately NRR (Net Run Rate) will come into question.
  • New Zealand’s batting is not that much eye-boggling and every time bowlers won’t make the match out of it
  • Afghanistan won’t qualify as India, Pakistan & New Zealand would be fighting it out & they should try to make things tricky for these 3 teams.
  • Expected Augury/Result
  • Pakistan or England will win the T20 World Cup because these two teams have got distinctive traits to win the World Cup as earlier in 2009 Pakistan had won T20 World Cup whereas in 2010 England had won.
  • The reason behind Pakistan is favorites is due to their mercurial nature which can spring a surprise on any given day whereas England have a team & players who can change circumstances & play according to the circumstances.
  • India will play with two teams (Qualifiers T20 World Cup) before Semi Final Clash which will not hold them in a good position as at that time experimentation would be going & then all of a sudden high voltage clash won’t be good.
  • South Africa’s Road is a lot of steeps which can drain them with Semi Finals & as usual they may choke.

Synopsis of ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers

The hiatus of a very long 5 years is due to end as ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is about to start on 17th of October. This time 12 nations are going to compete for the elusive Trophy as earlier there were 10. Out of the 12 Nations there are 4 spots are to be filled. 2 groups have been made which are as follows:

Group AGroup B
NetherlandsPNG (Papua New Guinea)
Sri LankaScotland
IrelandBangladesh
NamibiaOman

From Group A & Group B only 4 teams with 2 teams per group can advance to the main marquee tournament. The team which wins all the 3 matches will definitely qualify to the Super 12 whereas 2 matches with good NRR (Net Run Rate) can book a berth.

  • Group A

Group A is going to be extremely intense as there is a bit of shocker as the former T20 World Cup Champions (2014) Sri Lanka are going to play Qualifiers. The majority of Group A matches are going to be played at Abu Dhabi; while the decisive day’s fixture (22 October) of Qualifiers is going to be played at Sharjah which can raise a lot of eyebrows for the teams.

  • Netherlands

Netherlands come in this T20 World Cup as one of the most experienced Nation amongst the members as this is their 4th appearance. Netherlands have had good memories in T20 World Cup as they have beaten England in 2009 & in 2014. The problem for Netherlands is that their core team hasn’t played enough Cricket Together. There is wealth of experience in the dug out in the form of Ryan Ten Doeschate & Roelof van der Merwe. The experienced players responsibility is not just only to score runs & take wickets but to guide the team members. The team of Netherlands is threatening as in 2014 T20 World Cup they had given the Proteas a scare of life as South Africa snatched victory from the jaws of defeat as they had won the game by 6 runs only. Netherlands is going to play 2 day matches out of 3 at the Abu Dhabi where the temperature is in the mid-30s while there is going to be a lot of humidity. Netherlands had won the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier in 2019 which is a dangerous sign for the other sides.

  • Sri Lanka

For Sri Lanka this is about their respect & integrity in World Cricket; because if they fail to pass this hurdle it would be the darkest hour in the history of Sri Lankan Cricket. Sri Lanka is going through a massive revamp. The main concern for Sri Lanka is their batting as recently Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunaratne & Niroshan Dickwella were suspended for 1 year for their bio-bubble protocol breach in England. All these three batters were the senior players while Angelo Mathews has chosen not to play citing low annual fee. There is immense amount of responsibility on the shoulders of Coach Mickey Arthur & the captain Dasun Shanaka. The likes of Avishka Fernando, Dhananjay de Silva & Dinesh Chandimal need to do the bulk of scoring (*Kusal Perera subjected to fitness). Sri Lanka’s bowlers have an undisputed strength of spin bowling which can dismantle any team on their day; but for that to happen they need support of batters. There is a slight ray of hope for Sri Lanka as earlier in July Sri Lanka had won T20I Series against India by 2-1. In that Series India were jolted by Covid-19 but at the same defeating any India Side is not a cake walk. In all these circumstances Sri Lanka would require more than a miracle. Sri Lanka have a major advantage in the group as they will play all their 3 matches in the night; particularly on the final day of fixture where they will know the scenario of qualifying.

  • Ireland

Ireland is the most consistent team as this is their 6th appearance in the ICC T20 World Cup. Ireland’s team is full power packed which can tick all the boxes on the game day as there is a good mixture of youth & experience. Ireland’s weapon is their batting as they have got the dangerous line up with Paul Stirling & Kevin O Brien who can take the game away within a blink of eye. The major concern for Ireland is that they are too much reliant on Paul Stirling which makes easier for opposition. Ireland would hope & believe that they would outclass Netherlands as earlier in 2014 Netherlands had given them a heart-attack by chasing down 190 in 13.5 overs. Ireland is also going to play 2 day matches but not at Abu Dhabi only. Ireland have got everything to go all the way; but at the end of the day, it all comes done to the execution.

  •   Namibia

For Namibia this is a state of merriment as they have made it to the ICC T20 World Cup for the first time & they have returned back to ICC Tournaments after a long drought of 18 years as earlier they had participated in ICC 2003 Cricket World Cup. Namibia is placed in the toughest group as they can’t afford any slips. It is said that this is Namibia’s golden generation as they have got puissant batters & impeccable bowlers. Namibia is also going to play 2-day games similar to Ireland. The task is cut out for Namibia as they have to be ruthless to assert dominance which may sound odd & too much but that is their only option.

The Top 2 teams will go into the Super 12 Group which may be:

  • Netherlands are red hot favorites to advance as they are used to create upsets.
  • Ireland has a habit to play like a team which will take them forward.

Sri Lanka have a lot to do in terms of their batting line up & selection and it looks unlikely that everything be in place at the time.

Namibia is a juvenile team in respect to their experience which no doubt will enhance as this tournament is a stepping stone & they will get used to the format & to the electric atmosphere.

  • Group B

Group B is not that much competitive but there is a sigh of relief for Bangladesh & Scotland as they are going to face the minnows: PNG (Papua New Guinea) & Oman. All the matches of Group B are going to be played at Oman which undoubtedly makes the matches more exciting as all the teams would get acclimatized to the conditions.

  • PNG

PNG won’t be able to believe that their arduous hard work has paid off as this is their maiden ICC Tournament in which they are participating. PNG have been trying to qualify for the T20 World Cup since last 3 editions but they ended up on the loosing side but in 2019 they finished as Runners-up which earned them a spot in the Tournament. PNG has had success against Ireland & Netherlands in the past which can be scary for the other teams. PNG are fortunate enough to play all their 3 matches at day as they would aim to be party-spoilers & somehow make a name for themselves.

  • Scotland

This is Scotland’s 4th Appearance at the T20 World Cup as they are quite consistent. The main trait of Scotland is their batting prowess. Scotland need to be wary of the spin threat as Bangladesh & the rest of the teams would exploit their lapse in concentration. Scotland hasn’t defeated a strong opponent in T20 World Cup which would be in their mind. Scotland are due to play 2 Night Matches but not back -to- back. Scotland should fancy their chances as beating PNG & Oman shouldn’t be a tough task.

  • Bangladesh

Bangladesh would regret the fact that they are going to play Qualifiers as they have a prestigious history of defeating big teams. Bangladesh will unarguably bank on their spin hub who have recently given sleepless nights to Cricket Australia (CA) & New Zealand Cricket (NZC). There lies a huge void in Bangladesh’s which is their batting as their batters can’t put a competitive total of 150-160 runs which is a must regardless of the pitch. The likes of Shakib, Rahim & Mahmudullah need to switch gears quickly as the rest of the batting line up hasn’t performed according to the potential. Bangladesh is going to play back-to-back night matches. Bangladesh needs to make sure that they don’t take Scotland lightly as Scotland too will be eager to start their campaign on a winning note.  Even if Bangladesh somehow gets defeated then it shouldn’t bother them as they have got the experience to outfox Oman & PNG.

  • Oman

This is Oman’s consecutive appearance in the T20 World Cup. Oman couldn’t have asked for a better time to participate in the T20 World Cup as they are playing in their home conditions which not only suits them but they will have a lucid idea about how to succeed. Oman have also tasted success against the likes of Ireland & Netherlands which is an ominous sign as they can be uninvited hosts/ghosts for the team. Oman is going to play back-to-back matches at the night. Oman can inflict a lot of damage by defeating Scotland or Bangladesh and if they do, they can knock over either of these two teams.

The Top 2 teams will go into the Super 12 Group which may be:

  • Bangladesh has a tendency to find match winners on the given day.
  • Scotland’s team spirit will hold them in good stead to qualify.

PNG should keep in mind one thing that they have come a long way ahead & they should not get disheartened as they have made a name for themselves.

Oman has a golden chance to qualify but the lack of International Cricket experience will undo them & they should take this as a learning curve.

Expected Outcome of Vivo IPL 2021 & The Winner of IPL

Vivo IPL 2021 is evenly poised as 5 teams [Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR) & Mumbai Indians (MI)] are competing for the remaining two spots in the play-offs as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) & Delhi Capitals (DC) are qualified and would be hoping to be in the top 2 positions in the points table as both are well placed at 18 points.

RCB just need to make sure that they don’t lose their remaining 3 matches which they are due to play against PBKS, Sun Risers Hyderabad (SRH) & DC because there is an outside chance that they would get eliminated.

MI, RR, PBKS & KKR are all stuck at 10 points as they have only 2 remaining matches; only KKR has had a superior net run rate (NRR) of + 0.302 among the 4 teams whereas there is cut – throat competition among PBKS: – 0.236, RR: -0.337 & MI: -0.453. It’s a do or die situation for all these 4 franchises.

  • MI’s possible chance to make play-offs

MI’s next match is against RR which is scheduled on 5th of October at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium and the pitch of Sharjah has been slow & tacky. RR have a slight good NRR which is an issue for MI as they not just need a victory but they need a thumping victory in excess of 30 – 50 runs or win the match with 2-3 overs remaining in the tank. For that to happen one of the batsmen of MI may be Rohit or Suryakumar needs to play till the end of the innings. It is extremely important in T20’s that one batsman should take a responsibility of being a supporting batter. If MI or RR lose that match then one team gets eliminated. If MI win against RR, then they have a solid chance of making it to the play-offs as their next match is against the SRH on the 8th of October at the Abu Dhabi which is the final day of league phase matches who are having a forgettable season. MI have a knack of making it to the play-offs against all odds which is their peculiarity. It’s absolutely clear MI need resounding victories and to start with that they need to play like Mumbai Indians way.

SNAPSHOT: MI need the duo of Rohit Sharma & Suryakumar Yadav to fire
  • RR’s chance to make play-offs

RR are coming back on a sensational victory against the CSK. RR’s next match is against MI at Sharjah on 5th of October. RR vs MI match is going to be pivotal as stated earlier. RR too need dominating victories as their NRR is better than MI but still not up-to the mark. If RR somehow defeat MI then their next match is too at Sharjah against KKR.  For both KKR & RR that would be the last match of the season; if RR win against KKR then they would have a golden chance to make it to play-offs & would be the party-spoilers as RR has not made it to the play-offs since 2018. If RR lose one match out of 2 then their journey would be ended. The specialty of RR is that any-one can become match-winner as RR is not a one-man team.

SNAPSHOT: Shivam Dube demolishing CSK with Sanju Samson.
  • PBKS’s possible road to make play-offs

PBKS are making good progress. PBKS’s next match is against RCB on 3rd October at Sharjah. It’s a win-win situation for PBKS too. The problem for PBKS has been their middle order as the bulk of scoring runs has been done by their top-order especially by the skipper K.L. Rahul. There is some oddity for PBKS as their remaining matches are in day-time which could well be a decisive point as there is a lot of humidity. They are going to play RCB at Sharjah on the 3rd of October & CSK at Dubai on the 7th of October. PBKS are due to play two of the strongest teams which no doubt has been the heavy-weights of IPL this season & they also don’t have the services of the self-proclaimed Universe Boss “Chris Gayle” who has opted out of IPL in midway citing bubble fatigue. It would require a humongous effort to defeat these teams. If PBKS just win two matches narrowly then it would be all come down to NRR which is scary for the team. PBKS haven’t made it to the play-offs since 2014 which is a long way back.

SNAPSHOT: PBKS need a team performance to clinch remaining two matches convincingly.
  • KKR’s possible road to make play-offs

KKR got a heart-breaking loss against PBKS which just have opened the gates of confusion for the team.  KKR are going to face SRH on 3rd of October at the Dubai. This match for KKR is a gift as SRH are off-color in this season and they should capitalize as much as possible. KKR are firing all the cylinders and they should not get complacent as SRH would hope that they will be the uninvited ghosts. If KKR pass the hurdle of SRH then their last league fixture is against RR on 7th of October; that clash could be the end of RR or KKR. KKR have been hunting in packs which is a dangerous sign as the opponent team can’t take any one lightly.

SNAPSHOT: KKR’s Sunil Narine, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill all are proving to be major threat.

The Likely 4 teams to advance for Play-Offs are:

  • CSK
  • DC
  • RCB
  •  MI

MI have an uphill task but they are somewhat the dark horses who have come from bottom to top which has been seen in the season of 2014 IPL. The reason behind MI will qualify is that they would have their task cut-out as they are going to play the match on the last day of the league phase. In 2014 IPL MI did the same thing by outclassing RR as in that match MI had chased down a mammoth target of 190 runs in 14.4 runs; but there is a twist as this time MI is going to face SRH in Dubai and not in Mumbai.

SNAPSHOT: Aditya Tare taking MI into the play-offs of 2014 IPL Season.
  • The Likely Winner of IPL will be CSK or MI

MI hardly fails to make the most of an opportunity whereas CSK would be trying to get their hands on the trophy for the 4th time. CSK will get two opportunity to make it to the finals whereas MI will try to make it a hattrick of titles. If MI & CSK clash in finals then the inevitable will happen.