The Preliminary Round of the 2022 T20 World Cup was packed with fascinating stories and unlikely results and the quality of cricket was all the evidence the ICC needed to justify the new format the tournament will take in 2024 when 20 teams will all be included in the main draw in four groups of five.
The failure of two-time champions, West Indies, to reach the main draw was a shock while Namibia and Scotland can count themselves unlucky having beaten Sri Lanka and the West Indies respectively. Even the UAE, who found their form late, finished with a win against Namibia.
Now the tournament ‘proper’ gets underway. Neil Manthorp casts his eye over the runners and riders – and who the bookmakers rate as favourites:
GROUP A
Australia, England, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Ireland
Group B
India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Netherlands
3/1 - Australia
Losing three of their four warm-up games to England and India (the other was rained off) has done nothing to persuade the book-makers’ belief that the hosts are not strongly favoured to become the first team to defend the title they won in unfavourable conditions in the UAE last year.
Allrounders form a key part of Australia’s game-plan with Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell batting in the top order and Cameron Green, a late, injury replacement for reserve ‘keeper Josh Inglis, now also in the mix. Marcus Stoinis is also adept at most roles being a ‘finisher’ with both bat and ball.
David Warner remains one of the most explosive openers in the world although he is now the reserve ‘keeper which could make things interesting if in-form Matthew Wade is injured.
Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc are still at the top of their games and Adam Zampa has become one of the most consistent wrist-spinners in the world over the last two years. Warm-up matches really don’t count for much, unless it’s an underdog looking for confidence, so there is every reason to believe Australia will at least reach the semifinals.
3/1 – England
Such is the strength in depth of the England squad that not even the loss of Jonny Bairstow before the tournament and Reece Topley during a warm-up match has adversely affected their chances with a host of power-hitters in the top and middle order and a ready-made left-arm fast bowling replacement in Tymal Mills.
England may have been the first country to formally embrace the format at domestic level but they failed to reach the semifinals in the first two editions of the World Cup before winning it in 2010. Last year’s semifinal defeat to New Zealand still rankles – they were the form team of the tournament – and they will have a chance of revenge in the group stages this year. They will also have to negotiate a way past Australia although a victory against just one of last year’s finalists may suffice to reach the semis.
Alex Hales and captain Jos Buttler form the most explosive opening pair in the tournament while Dawid Malan has been rated in the top five T20 batters for the last five years. Ben Stokes and Liam Livingstone are among the most destructive hitters in the game, along with Moeen Ali, while Sam Curran and Chris Woakes are capable of turning a game with bat or ball. Adil Rashid provides the mystery spin and Mark Wood the sheer pace. England have it all.
7/2 – India
Inaugural champions in 2007 but, remarkably, unable to add a second title despite the rise of the IPL and the country’s status as the most consistent T20 country in the world. They have reached the semifinals three times in the last seven tournaments before stumbling. Last year they not only failed to reach the last four but did so in humbling fashion including a 10-wicket loss to arch-rivals Pakistan.
They will have the chance to avenge that defeat in their opening game in front of almost 100 000 people at the MCG on October 23 and get their campaign off to a flying start before facing South Africa and Bangladesh. They are not short of form or confidence heading into the tournament having won their last four series against England, Australia, West Indies and South Africa and then beating Australia again in their official warm-up match.
Captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul can be devastating when they ‘click’ and the legend, Virat Kohli, is showing signs of returning to his best form after two frustrating years. But Suryakumar Yadav may be the most in-form batter in the world and it is him to whom India may look for the bulk of their runs.
The injured Jasprit Bumrah will be sorely missed but Mohammad Shami and Bushneshwar Kumar are proven experts at both the top and bottom of the innings along with Arshdeep Singh. The performance of the spinners, however, will be just as important to India’s chances of success. Yuzvendra Chahal is a proven match-winner as are Ravichandran Ashwin and Axar Patel.
8/1 – South Africa
There remains an understandable belief that South Africa is far too strong a cricketing nation not to win a World Cup so, although captain Temba Bavuma insists his team will be “flying under the radar” at this tournament they are still, officially, the fourth favourites. And there are sound cricket reasons, too.
Not only have they never won the tournament but, remarkably, the Proteas have only reached the semifinals twice but the current squad is as well-balanced as any to have represented the country since 2017 – with no shortage of ‘X-factor’ players.
Quinton de Kock has endured an inconsistent year but tends to rise to the big occasion and, if he sets the innings up with a quick start, the Proteas middle order of Rilee Rossouw, Aiden Markram, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs or Heinrich Klaasen is as powerful as any other in the tournament.
Wayne Parnell, while under-performing with the bat, has consistently taken wickets with the new ball and the fast bowling trio of Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi and Anrich Nortje are the envy of many teams. Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj are as good a pair of spinners as the country has ever enjoyed although, on Australian pitches, one of them may give way in the starting XI to accommodate fast bowling allrounder Marco Jansen.
9/1 – Pakistan
Often derided for their ‘inconsistency’ Pakistan are comfortably the most consistent performers in the T20 World Cup having lost the first final, won the second and reached the semifinals in five of the seven tournaments thus far.
Captain Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan are, statistically, the most successful opening pair in the game’s history with Rizwan, especially, boasting eye-watering statistics with a career average 52.34 and 22 half-centuries, and one century, from just 62 innings. Babar’s numbers, too, are astonishing with an average of 43.66 with two hundreds and 29 half centuries.
It is often said that Pakistan are ‘over-reliant’ on their openers and that the middle order ‘lacks game time’ – what are they supposed to do? Ask the openers to retire after 10 overs? Besides, there has been a shortage of runs from the middle order when they do get a chance.
Pakistan won five out of six games in the pre-tournament Triangular in New Zealand including a solid victory in the final against their hosts and, although they lost a marathon 7-match series 4-3 at home against England, there was plenty to be encouraged about.
And it’s not just about the batting with Pakistan possibly boasting the strongest pace attack in the tournament with Haris Rauf among the fastest and most hostile fast bowlers in the world. Legspinner Shadab Khan is a proven allrounder and, if giant left-armer Shaheen Shah Afridi is back to his best after injury they will be hard to stop.
9/1 - New Zealand
Hardly anybody is talking about the Black Caps as potential semifinalists, never mind winners, but isn’t that always the way? Hardly ever regarded among the favourites yet perennial semifinalists, New Zealand always ‘find a way’ to peak at the right time and raise to the big occasion. And once again, they have the personnel to spring a few surprises – and it would be a surprise if they claim a place in the last four at the expense of England or Australia.
Finn Allen is an exhilarating opener and 36-year-old Martin Guptill still has what it takes to succeed at international level. Devon Conway is being quietly tipped to have a prosperous tournament and, as always, there is no shortage of allrounders led by Jimmy Neesham and Daryll Mitchell.
Tim Southee has played a remarkable 100 T20Is and is still one of the smartest swing bowlers in the world and forms a potentially deadly new ball attack with Trent Boult. Every successful T20 team has a canny wrist-spinner – Ish Sodhi is that man. You write the Black Caps off at your peril.
20/1 – Sri Lanka
After an awkward start, losing to Namibia in the first game of the Preliminary Round, the Asia Cup champions secured their spot in the main draw with convincing wins against the UAE and the Netherlands and the ‘workout’ may serve them well.
Consistency is the Holy Grail in sport and, despite boasting half a dozen players with the individual brilliance to influence and win games, the tendency to lapse into a collapse too often undermines their route to success. But they lost to Afghanistan in the Asia Cup before marching to victory so perhaps they will see their hiccup against Namibia as a good omen.
Legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga, on current form, is the stand-out star – but Pathum Nissanka, captain Dasun Shanaka and Kusal Mendis can all win games with the bat.
50/1 – Afghanistan
Afghanistan’s inexorable rise continues unabated but this probably won’t be the year they reach a semifinal. But they will one day. And a final or two. But their brilliant, spin-heavy bowling attack is likely to be negated by Australia’s hard, flat pitches. It would be a surprise if they didn’t cause an upset, however, and any one of Australia, England or New Zealand could stumble upon an Afghan road bump.
Rashid Khan, one of the greatest ever T20 cricketers, is happy to absorb the spotlight allowing other, less prominent teammates, to flourish in his shadow. 37-year-old captain, Mohammad Nabi, is one of the world’s most experienced T20 players in the world and vice-captain, Najibullah Zadran, often gets the innings off to a flying start.
100/1 – Bangladesh
Although hope springs eternal in the land of the Bangla Tiger there is little to suggest they will improve on a dismal record of just seven victories from 33 matches despite playing in every tournament since the first in 2007. Their preparation for the tournament included a Triangular T20 tournament in New Zealand which failed to yield a single victory against the hosts or Pakistan.
They will, at least, have the comparative comfort of an opening match against the Netherlands but thereafter will have to cope with matchers against South Africa, India and Pakistan.
The great Shakib al Hasan will, no doubt, have his moments with the bat and Soumya Sarkar is an aggressive opener but with Australian pitches unlikely to offer much assistance to the spinners, including Shakib, the Tigers are again likely to struggle for victories.
200/1 – Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe progressed to the main section for the first time in their history and it would not be a surprise if they caused another shock but, in truth, their tournament was made with victories over Scotland and Ireland. Look out for fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani but Zimbabwe’s key man, with bat and ball, is Sikander Raza.
400/1 – Ireland
A nine-wicket hammering of the West Indies provided the Irish with an emphatic passage into the main draw and, as with Zimbabwe, they are entirely capable of winning again. Burly Paul Stirling can be as exciting as any opener in the tournament and SA-born and bred allrounder, Curtis Campher, is a match-winner.
500/1 – Netherlands
Sneaking into the main draw on net run rate with just one win from their three games gives the men in orange free license to play with abandon and they may cause an upset against Zimbabwe or even Bangladesh in Group ‘B’ but, in truth, their tournament has been made already. Left-arm seamer Fred Klaasen and left-arm spinner Tim Pringle proved a miserly pair with the new ball and Bas de Leede is a good enough allrounder to play regularly in T20 leagues around the world in years to come.