T20 World Cup: T20 World Cup is going to be a blast immediately after IPL. All the teams have started preparations for this mega-event to be held in USA and West Indies from 1-29 June. The upcoming edition of the Men's T20 World Cup will feature 20 teams, with 16 teams competing in the 2022 edition of the tournament in Australia. This is the first time that USA, Canada and Uganda are participating in the Men's T20 World Cup. Let's take a look at the top four teams in the upcoming edition of the mega-event:
1. India
The Rohit Sharma-led team would like to add another T20 World Cup to its account after the 2007 victory. Team India will start it on June 5 against Ireland in New York. Then on June 9, 12 and 15, India will face Pakistan, America and Canada.
Strengths: India enter the tournament as the top-order men's T20 team with a wealth of experience coupled with youthful enthusiasm in all aspects of the game. In the unknown conditions of America and the slow pitches of West Indies, the presence of in-form players like Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav can prove to be important for India in the competition.
Weakness: There is an atmosphere of tension in the team regarding the recent form of captain Rohit Sharma and his deputy Hardik Pandya. IPL 2024 was not good for both. His team Mumbai Indians also had to suffer the consequences of this.
Opportunity: Left-handed all-rounder Shivam Dubey, who has performed brilliantly for CSK since IPL 2022, has a chance to prove himself on the big stage.
Threat: India have failed to win in the knockouts since the 2013 Champions Trophy win in England. Therefore, in a do or die contest, India will have to make a concrete strategy to withstand the pressure.
2. England
In the T20 World Cup 2024, the defending champions will begin their title defense against Scotland in Barbados on June 4. They have been placed in Group B of the competition along with Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman.
Strengths: The presence of Jos Buttler, Will Jacques, Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow as well as Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran gives the team a lot of strength in batting.
Having Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer along with Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid is also a bonus point for England.
Weakness: Archer has definitely been included in the World Cup team, but there are still question marks regarding his fitness.
Opportunity: Chris Jordan could be the X factor for England here. For Jordan, there will be a home environment in the World Cup, due to which he can play a role in retaining the title for his team. At the same time, recently he has performed well with both ball and bat.
Danger: If England will enter the Caribbean to defend the T20 World Cup title after victory in 2022, then like in ODI, there is a possibility of it flopping in T20 also.
3. Australia
ODI World Cup trophy and ICC World Test Championship winners Australia will begin their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Group B rivals Oman in Barbados on June 5.
Strengths: Australia has a well-balanced team with many experienced players. They have great players like captain Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, David Warner and Adam Zampa.
Weakness: The recent form of Warner and Maxwell has not been good in IPL 2024. This means that Australia's batting may weaken a bit. Meanwhile, left-arm spinner Ashton Agar has not played any T20 since the last men's T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.
Opportunity: Australia has a chance to win all the ICC trophies available in senior international cricket.
Threat: When they defend their T20 World Cup title on home soil in 2022, Australia have the same strength that won them the trophy in 2021. But due to the big defeat against New Zealand, they lagged behind in terms of net run rate. If Australia wants to win the trophy then it will have to be careful about this.
4. West Indies
Two-time champions West Indies have been placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup 2024. This team will face Papua New Guinea in its opening match in Guyana on June 2.
Strengths: Captain Rovman Powell, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell and Jason Holder are in excellent form in this format at the international and domestic level.
Additionally, the West Indies are preparing extensively for the World Cup through an A team series against Nepal, a practice camp in Antigua and a three-match home series against South Africa.
Weakness: West Indies have won the Men's T20 World Cup twice, in 2012 and 2016 respectively, but their performance in the last two editions of the showpiece event has been extremely disappointing.
In 2021, the Pollard-led West Indies failed to enter the knockouts after winning just one match in the group stage. A year later, under Nicholas Pooran in Australia, they failed to enter the Super 10 stage. West Indies also missed out on qualifying for the ODI World Cup 2023 in India after failing to finish as the top two teams in the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe.
Occasion: Being the co-host of the World Cup, West Indies is playing on its home ground for the upcoming tournament. They know the conditions better and what's more, their recent form on home soil has been good. They have registered T20 series wins over South Africa, India and England on home soil in the last 14 months. That means they have a good chance of winning the title.
Threat: The current head coach of West Indies, Darren Sammy, has won two T20 World Cup titles as captain for the team. Till now, no host country has won the T20 World Cup on its home soil. If West Indies has to become the first team to win this showpiece for the third time, then it will have to show its strength.
