India, Australia, South Africa or West Indies? Sportskeeda writers pick their favorites for 2024 T20 World Cup
The 2024 T20 World Cup kicked off on Saturday, June 1, with a match between USA and Canada at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas. England, the defending champions, are among the strong contenders to lift the title. India, Australia, South Africa, and co-hosts West Indies also go into the ICC event with strong squads.
While there is plenty of excitement over the tournament featuring 55 matches and 20 teams, Sportskeeda writers share their views on who, according to them, are favorites to win the ICC Men’s 2024 T20 World Cup. Have a read.
Sooryanarayanan Sesha: Men’s T20 World Cups are seldom won by the team conjecture deems as pre-tournament favorites - as good an indicator of how volatile and unpredictable this format is.
And that is exactly the factor that plays into the hands of the West Indies, who will be gunning for a record third title. Having flattered to deceive in the previous two editions, an exciting outfit has come together under the astute leadership of Rovman Powell. Two series wins over South Africa and one each over India and England since the start of 2023 - it’s clear that they’re onto something.
Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, and Brandon King have been in terrific form while in Akeal Hosein and Romario Shepherd, the co-hosts have a couple of outstanding all-rounders. Their bowling unit isn’t a world-beating one but should the decks be on the flatter side, expect their gunslingers with the bat to go crash-bang-wallop and ransack big totals for fun.
The combination of Powell and head coach Daren Sammy could be the recipe for success that the team has been after. A host team has never won the title either but there’s always a first for everything. ‘Rally ‘round the West Indies’ then?
Sai Krishna: Not for the first time in recent years, India come into the T20 World Cup as the underdogs. And while that could help them, as it did all those years ago in 2007, they might struggle to deliver despite the talent in their ranks. The team combination just seems off, and even all-timer campaigns from the big names might not be enough.
Australia have all bases covered on paper and will probably enter the tournament as the bookies’ favorites, but I’m leaning towards a team looking to defy the odds. South Africa, led by an astute captain in Aiden Markram and bolstered by immense talent in all departments, could finally have their crowning moment.
The Proteas’ middle order looks deadly, with Heinrich Klaasen and Tristan Stubbs in stellar form. If David Miller can break his rut and join the party, they could be hard to stop even if the pitches aren’t all that batting-friendly. Death bowling and batting depth are concerns, but there’s enough experience and versatility among the main men to overcome those weaknesses.
The West Indies look dangerous too, and knockout games are always going to be unpredictable. But in the land of colors, beaches, and frolic, the Rainbow Nation could be adorned with gold on June 29.
Venkatesh Ravichandran: Predictions are hardest to make for T20 World Cups, considering the helter-skelter nature of the format and too many games being decided by inches. While the number of big hitters and versatile batters often lures us when deciding on the winning team, this time the winner could be the one with the most versatile bowlers (ability to bowl at all stages in the innings, be effective on any and every pitch)...
And yet with all that said, it feels like every tournament comes down to Mitchell Starc and the ordinary-looking Aussie pacers suddenly turning into the 1970s and 80s West Indies come the semi-final and final. Yes, England and West Indies have tremendous power right through their batting lineup. Yes, India boasts the best T20 bowler by a mile in Bumrah and yes, the experience of their core group points to the Black Caps finally breaking through.
However, unless the Aussies bow out before the semis (highly unlikely), I will go with the ‘better safe than sorry’ pick of Mitchell Marsh’s Men becoming the first to hold all three ICC trophies at once.
Gokul Nair: T20 World Cups are inherently unpredictable (also the No.1 excuse given when predictions go awry), one of the elements behind its meteoric rise bordering on threat for other formats. However, this edition hits us with a scale of dizzying level of unpredictability. The new format, new teams, new venues, and much more importantly - a new approach.
Anchors have been 'put down', assessing the conditions is no longer a luxury, and no score is deemed safe. A mixture of all of these traits has been ingrained into the players and viewers, and the World Cup might prove to be a testament to that.
Playing with freedom and expressing oneself are some of the most used terms in this day and age, and based on the results it has shown, perhaps rightly so. The team that will be able to concoct the ideal approach, and mold their resources into an ideal combination for such conditions, will have the best crack at the trophy.
West Indies' raw explosiveness, Australia's big-match mentality, and India's intimidating prowess all have their place, and rightly so. However, one can't help but feel drawn towards England. I have the feeling that they are itching to amend their mistakes at the 2023 ODI World Cup, and with some in-form match winners, experience, and hunger involved, it is hard to cast England aside.
They have done it before on these very islands in 2010 as well. So, a historic third-title, first-ever team to win back-to-back T20 WCs, and then partying with Archer in Barbados, England's manifestation does not need much motivation.
Shashwat Kumar: A few days ago, Eoin Morgan said India, even if they are hit by injuries, have a squad to be envious of. And I kind of agree with that assessment. Hence, India, in my view at least, are favorites to win the entire thing. They have been placed in favorable groups, both in the first round and potentially in the Super Eight stage. Their semi-final is also at the Providence Stadium, which is as spin-friendly as any venue this T20 World Cup. And they have Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav to call upon in tandem.
Plus, India have faced too many heartbreaks recently and they are due to a world-class performance on the big stage. India winning could also possibly grow the game in the USA exponentially and that will be an added bonus.
India will not have it easy, though. Australia, England, South Africa and the West Indies are all blessed with firepower. How they do when the pressure is amped up remains to be seen, and with so many matches taking place at so many venues, this could be a 170-180 World Cup, which will inevitably play into India’s hands, and help them break an ICC trophy drought that has gone on longer than anyone would have liked.
The only team that can perhaps deny India is Pakistan. Everything that could have gone wrong for Pakistan in the build-up has gone wrong, and that just makes them more dangerous than ever before.
An India-Pakistan final again, anyone?
Rudransh Khurana: This is probably India’s World Cup, just because nobody believes in them (for the right reasons) but if we have to go based on true quality, South Africa should take it. Yes, that's despite their recent form, which, I think, will work in their favor at the big stage.
Their players are extremely well-suited to the conditions in the US and West Indies and some have a lot of experience of playing here. That batting line-up is the best in the competition and is just simmering to explode. That c tag is coming off.
Anuj Prabhu: The 20-team format of the T20 World Cup 2024 gives that extra bit of room for seeing some more upsets during the group phase, despite the seeding suggesting which eight teams are expected to qualify for the next stage.
The unpredictability of the shortest format, coupled with the uncertainty of the conditions to expect in the West Indies and the USA makes it tougher to determine the winner. However, this unpredictability suggests that the best T20 team on paper may not necessarily win the T20 World Cup.
India’s 15-man T20 World Cup squad raised quite a few eyebrows, especially when Rinku Singh’s name was missing. They have also picked four frontline spinners, probably suggesting that they would have an attack consisting of three spinners, two pacers, and Hardik Pandya’s all-round ability.
Throw in Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav’s X-factor and the presence of star names like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, momentum may become India’s friend in the tournament.
While no host has won the T20 World Cup yet, the West Indies boast a squad that covers almost all bases. The modern-day T20 cricket underlines the importance of power hitting and that could well hand the West Indies a massive edge. An explosive India-West Indies final at Barbados on June 29 is nowhere beyond the realms of possibility. Heart says India, but mind says West Indies.
Srinjoy Sanyal: After an IPL season that saw several records tumble, people are gushing over the engine room of two teams going into the 2024 T20 World Cup. They are South Africa and the West Indies. Then come India, without an ICC trophy since 2013, but always putting their hand up.
But I’d cast my vote for Australia. It might come across as a safe choice. I mean, they won the WTC and the 50-over World Cup just now, right? But that’s the aura and reputation they’ve created for themselves. On the biggest stage, on the biggest of days, write the 2021 champions off at your own peril.
Australia have also assembled a well-rounded squad, make no mistake about it. In a tournament that will move from batting-friendly wickets in the US to the slow turners in the Caribbean, it is the balance of a side that will count for far more than pedigree. And that’s where the plethora of all-rounders in the Aussie ranks should play a huge role. And when it comes to clutch moments, nobody is better at holding their nerve and going about the business than these superstars.
Vinay Chhabria: I think India are the favorites to win the T20 World Cup this year. The Indian team should breeze through the group stage. The Super 8s round might be slightly tricky because there’s a huge chance of Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka to be in India’s group.
However, Rohit Sharma’s men have a ton of experience of playing in pressure situations. After losing in the final against Australia in the 2023 ODI World Cup, the Indian team will be hungry for an ICC trophy. Expect them to step up and deliver and win the T20 WC for the first time since 2007.
Renin Wilben Albert: There are no favorites as such for the 2024 T20 World Cup. India, Australia, and England are in with a great chance of capturing the title given the experience in their line-up and the quality of their players. After poor showings in the last two editions, West Indies will be strong contenders since their players are in great form and also the fact that they are playing at home.
South Africa, yet again, have a strong team on paper. But, with them, it's always about whether they can translate potential to performance on the big stage. New Zealand will be the dark horse as always, while Sri Lanka cannot be taken lightly. Bangladesh might not be strong contenders, but expect them to cause an upset or two.