Top 3 teams to watch out for in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021.
After a delay of over a year, the ICC T20 World Cup has finally begun, on the 17th of October. The tournament was forcefully blocked by the ongoing covid-19 pandemic multiple times in the duration of one and a half years. Initially, the ICC rescheduled the 2020 edition’s T20 World Cup to 2021 and the tournament was slated to be held in India. However, due to excessive covid cases in India, the global cricket body had to reschedule the tournament for the second time and ultimately, it was shifted to the UAE and Oman.
The showpeice event has kickstarted with round one going on amongst the eight teams competing to make their place in Super 12s.
The tournament is usually held after every two years, however, according to the latest amendments T20 World Cups will now be held every five years. Team India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 while West Indies are the reigning champions, having won the tournament in 2016.
Besides India and West Indies, Pakistan and England have also won the T20 World Cup titles in the past.
The article will take you through the top 3 teams that are favourites to win the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 and the teams you definitely should watch out for. The teams mentioned here are picked after experts advice and the past records of the team in the format.
Top 3 teams to watch out for in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021:
India:
The Men in Blues will move forth in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 as one of the favourites to win the tournament. It is noteworthy that India won the inaugural season of the tournament when the side was termed as underdogs in the format.
In the current ICC T20I team’s ranking, team India is ranked in second place which clearly signifies the domination of the side and consistency attached to it. Apart from it, the side studded with the likes of Virat Kohli (skipper), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant etc becomes automatically favourites to lift the title.
The Indian players have a wide experience of the format and are continuously doing well in it. The numbers from the recent past also show team India as the hot side to win the mega event.
After the 2016 T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli and his men have featured in 72 Twenty20 International matches and have won 47 out of those carrying a healthy win percentage of 65.3. The side has only lost 22 matches after 2016.
All the Indian cricketers have played in the UAE surfaces recently in the IPL 2021 and know exactly how the pitch will pan out in the coming games. The likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah were in good touch for their franchises in the recently concluded IPL 2021.
Moreover, the fact that India hasn’t won a single ICC title after 2013 will derive the team forward to make a strong statement ahead of others. Virat as an India skipper has had so many magic moments in his career, however, the moment of lifting an ICC title hasn’t been kind to him.
Virat, himself has admitted that he will step down from T20I captaincy post the T20 World Cup 2021, so it will be his last assignment as the skipper and would love to leave the role on a high.
West Indies:
West Indies is another side that is hot picked to win the T20 World Cup 2021. The Caribbean team will defend the title, having won it back in 2016 and 2012.
During the late 90s, West Indies lost the charm and name that it used to possess during the 70s and 80s. It is definitely not the team that used to dominate the world cricket, however, with sheer muscle power the Caribbeans are one of the unstoppable forces when it comes to T20 cricket.
The T20 franchise-based cricket has influenced the Caribbean cricketers more than international cricket which unfortunately led to the demise of their very own title of World Champions.
Despite winning T20 World Cup’s two times, West Indies endured tough times in the past in the shortest format as well. They only managed to secure a win percentage of 35.8 in 67 T20I matches they played after the 2016 T20 World Cup.
However, they are a group of people who are absolutely ruthless on their day. The likes of Kieron Pollard, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Andre Russell can turn the entire match in just a matter of few deliveries. They are an enigma when comes to T20I cricket.
The team is known for what Carlos Braithwaite did to Ben Stokes in the 2016 T20 World Cup final. Braithwaite whacked Stokes to four massive sixes in the last over to seal the deal for West Indies in 2016.
West Indies have quality players, though their consistency will be an issue for them, who can rule the tournament as long as they want. They will look to defend their title and can go bonkers to lift the trophy again and are definitely a side to watch for. Even if they fell few inches short to win the tournament, they will endure impeccable entertainment for the fans.
Pakistan:
The Babar Azam-led Pakistan is third in the list of top three teams to watch out for in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. The Men in Green have experienced enormous successes in the format owing to their numerous match winners.
Pakistan won the second season of the T20 World Cup in 2009 after being bowed down to India in the 2007 T20 World Cup final.
The fact that Pakistan has played several matches in the United Arab Emirates makes them one of the preferred to win the T20 World Cup. UAE has been the home ground to Pakistan for several years after the country was sidelined by international teams due to security reasons.
Being familiar with the grounds and surrounding in the UAE is their biggest asset as they walk ahead for the T20 World Cup. Moreover, the presence of exciting players such as Babar Azam supported by experienced Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Hafeez in their squad pushes them further ahead to be a potent side for the showpeice event.
In the ICC’s T20I team ranking, Pakistan ranks one below India, in the third position, with an impressive win percentage of 64.8 after the 2016 T20 World Cup. The team has 46 matches in their favour while slipped down in 20 matches out of 71 played during that time.
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