T20 World Cup 2014: The title contenders
The festival of world cricket is back, and, if the qualifiers are anything to go by, we are in for an exciting and unpredictable tournament. Having said that, when it comes to winning big games and major tournament, experience and know-how prevails over excitement and enigma more often than not. The tournament opener could not have been any more exciting than an India-Pakistan clash, with both the teams among the favourites to win the World Cup.
The eventual tournament winner is anybody’s guess, so I would like to throw my hat in the ring and pick my top 3 contenders to win the 2014 T20 World Cup. I have picked three sides, that in my view are most likely to win the World Cup.
3. Pakistan
Pakistan are among the favourites to win the World Cup
With the World Cup being held at Bangladesh, the conditions will support slow bowlers and suit the batsmen from sub-continental teams. Pakistan have played the most number of international T20 matches, winning an impressive 60% (approximately) of them, so picking them as one of my top 3 contenders is a no-brainer. In all seriousness, Pakistan have a potent squad to challenge for the glory. Players like Kamran Akmal, Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi can torment any bowling attack in this world. The presence of Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez and Shoaib Malik provides the much needed stability to their batting line-up. If their batting is good, their bowling is much better. With the likes of Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul and Sohail Tavir supported by Afridi and Hafeez, Pakistan easily have the best of bowling attacks.
2. Australia
George Bailey will lead Australia in the 2014 T20 World Cup
Now this might raise some eyebrows, but Australia have their best opportunity to win their first T20 World Cup this time around. The mighty Australians are back and are oozing confidence whenever they take the pitch. They humiliated England in the summer and went on to defeat South Africa in their own back yard. Their recent T20 performances have been impressive, and their World Cup squad has a perfect balance of youth, experience, flair and maturity. George Bailey has displayed immense maturity as a captain in the limited opportunities that he has got. David Warner, Aaron Finch and Shane Watson are few names in their squad that can change the course of a game at their will. It will be interesting to see how they cope with the loss of Mitchell Johnson, but bowlers like Brad Hogg, James Faulkner and Watson provide enough quality bowling options. The overall mix of the squad and the newly found enthusiasm in Australian cricket makes them a top contender for the silverware.
1. Sri Lanka
Mahela Jayawardane and Kumar Sangakkara will retire from T20 cricket after the World Cup
They lost it on their home ground in 2012, but this time they are my firm favourites to win the biennial event. Sri Lanka are sitting at the top of the ICC T20 team rankings and would like to cap it with a World Cup trophy this time after having played four World Cup finals since 2007 (both in ODI and T20 formats) to no avail. Players such as Ajantha Mendis, Lasith Malinga, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara have been top performers in their respective departments in T20 cricket and are expected to repeat the same. The team has spent a large part of 2014 in Bangladesh, emerging victorious in all the series that they were a part of including the Asia Cup 2014 where they stormed past India and Pakistan with consummate ease. Two of the team’s biggest superstars, Jayawardene and Sangakkara, will be bidding farewell to the shortest format of the game after this tournament, and the team would be looking to give them a fitting farewell.