GROUP A Preview: India, Pakistan headline exhilarating neighbourhood showdown

Two traditional rivals will face off in a crucial group at the T20 World Cup, while two further neighbours are joined by a talented European side.

The Asian rivals will face still competition from co-hosts USA, Canada and Ireland in Group A of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 is just around the corner as 20 teams battle it out for the most coveted title in T20I cricket.

In Group A, a pair of neighbours – India and Pakistan along with the USA and Canada – will be joined by Ireland.

Let’s dive deeper into what Group A has to offer at the upcoming tournament:

INDIA

India enter the T20 World Cup with a burning desire to shatter their streak of near misses in world events, having come agonisingly close in recent tournaments only to falter at the final hurdle.

With a formidable squad at full strength, India now stands poised to reclaim the elusive title they last clinched in the inaugural edition back in 2007.

Under the seasoned leadership of Rohit Sharma, who embarks on his second stint as captain in the T20 World Cup, the team boasts a formidable top-order line-up featuring the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav.

Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson are currently in scintillating form, presenting a pleasant dilemma for Rohit and the team management in selecting the wicketkeeper for the World Cup campaign.

India's all-round prowess is further bolstered by the likes of Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Shivam Dube, providing depth and versatility to the squad. The bowling department boasts formidable talent with the presence of Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav and others, ensuring a well-rounded line-up.

India take on Ireland in their tournament opener on 5 June before the focus shifts to the epic clash against Pakistan on 9 June in New York.

SQUAD

Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

KEY PLAYER – Jasprit Bumrah

India will be bolstered by the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who was sidelined during the previous edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022 due to injury.

Since his comeback, Bumrah has reaffirmed his indispensable role in the team, showcasing his prowess with 20 wickets in 11 matches during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 held at home.

His T20 form has been sensational as well, picking up 20 wickets in 13 matches for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, despite the team struggling in the tournament.

Bumrah's repertoire of skills knows no bounds, and in the unique conditions of the USA and the Windies, where India plays their group stage matches, his ability to vary his deliveries will prove instrumental.

PAKISTAN

Pakistan, much like their counterparts India, have been tantalisingly close to clinching an ICC trophy, having reached the semifinals and final in the last two editions of the T20 World Cup.

With the disappointment of those near misses driving them, Babar Azam leads Pakistan into the upcoming tournament with a fervent desire to end their trophy drought.

Babar and Mohammad Rizwan have been linchpins of the Pakistan batting line-up for years and will be supported by Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman and Iftikhar Ahmed.

Pakistan have a variety of spin-bowling options in Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim and Abrar Ahmed to go with the abundance of riches in the pace bowling department.

Spearheaded by Shaheen Afridi, the team in green have an admirable pace battery with the presence of Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Amir and Abbas Afridi.

Pakistan take on co-hosts USA in their opening clash on 6 June before facing off against India in a much-awaited clash on 9 June.

SQUAD

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan

KEY PLAYER – Babar Azam

Babar Azam has navigated through a turbulent period in recent months, beginning with Pakistan's disappointing campaign in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, where they managed only four wins in nine games, leading to an early exit from the group stages.

He was since removed as captain and reinstated as well, tasked with the responsibility of leading Pakistan’s charge at the T20 World Cup under new leadership.

At the forefront of Pakistan's batting line-up, Babar has been a consistent force, accumulating 3987 runs in 118 matches at an impressive average of 41.10 and a strike rate of 129.91. He has the experience of leading Pakistan in ICC events, taking the team to the semifinal and final in the last two editions under his leadership.

While scrutiny persists over his strike rate, Babar's unwavering presence at the crease has often laid the groundwork for Pakistan's successes in recent years, highlighting his importance to the team's fortunes.

IRELAND

For the eighth consecutive edition, Ireland have earned their spot at this year's T20 World Cup, a testament to the nation's evolving cricketing journey over the years.

Ireland will be under new leadership heading into the tournament, with veteran batter Paul Stirling taking over the reins of the team from Andrew Balbirnie, who had led the team in the last two editions.

The batting line-up revolves around the dynamic opening duo of the current and former captain, supported by the likes of Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ross Adair and Curtis Campher.

In the bowling department, Mark Adair and Josh Little headline the pace attack, complemented by Graham Hume, Campher, Barry McCarthy and Craig Young. Meanwhile, the spin duties are entrusted to the duo of Ben White and Gareth Delany, offering a balanced and varied bowling arsenal.

Ireland face a formidable challenge in their tournament opener against India on 5 June. However, a victory in this encounter could serve as a significant morale boost for the team, fueling their aspirations to progress beyond the group stage in the T20 World Cup for the first time in their history.

SQUAD

Paul Stirling (c), Mark Adair, Ross Adair, Andrew Balbirnie, Curtis Campher, Gareth Delany, George Dockrell, Graham Hume, Josh Little, Barry McCarthy, Neil Rock, Harry Tector, Lorcan Tucker, Ben White, Craig Young

KEY PLAYER – Paul Stirling

A pillar of Ireland's cricketing landscape, Paul Stirling assumes the leadership reins for the first time in an ICC event, marking a significant milestone in his already illustrious career.

Since his T20I debut in 2009, the 33-year-old has been a dynamic force at the top of the order, amassing 3589 runs in 142 matches at an impressive average of 27.60, with a striking rate of 135.43.

Stirling stands as Ireland's leading run-scorer in T20Is, being the sole player from his country to surpass the 3000-run milestone in the shortest format.

His formidable partnership with Balbirnie has been instrumental in Ireland's success, with Stirling's explosive batting prowess setting the tone at the outset. As Ireland's key player, his performances at the top order will play a pivotal role in the team's quest for success in the T20 World Cup.

USA

USA embarks on a historic journey as they make their debut appearance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, earning their spot as co-hosts of the tournament.

This marks their first foray into a major men’s ICC event since 2004 when they competed in the group stages of the Champions Trophy.

Monank Patel will lead USA’s charge in their historic campaign and will be a key part of their batting line-up along with Aaron Jones and Steven Taylor.

The inclusion of former New Zealand international Corey Anderson adds depth and experience to the middle order, further strengthening USA's batting prowess.

The return of Ali Khan provides a significant boost to USA's bowling attack, with support from Saurabh Netravalkar and Milind Kumar.

USA commence their T20 World Cup campaign against neighbours Canada on 1 June, aiming to set the stage for a successful tournament with a victory in the opening match.

SQUAD

Monank Patel (c), Aaron Jones, Andries Gous, Corey Anderson, Ali Khan, Harmeet Singh, Jessy Singh, Milind Kumar, Nisarg Patel, Nitish Kumar, Noshtush Kenjige, Saurabh Nethralvakar, Shadley Van Schalkwyk, Steven Taylor, Shayan Jahangir

KEY PLAYER - Ali Khan

USA will be elated with the return of Ali Khan, who missed the recent five-match T20I series against Canada due to injury.

Khan has been a globetrotter in the franchise T20 circuit, playing in the Caribbean Premier League and Pakistan Super League. He burst onto the scene in the USA in late 2015 and shot to fame in 2016, picking up the wicket of Kumar Sangakkara off the very first ball he bowled for Guyana Amazon Warriors in the CPL.

Despite a career hampered by injuries, Khan has showcased his talent in the limited opportunities he's had in T20Is for USA, claiming nine wickets at an impressive economy rate of 7.69 in just eight matches.

Armed with a lethal yorker, Khan now finds himself with a golden opportunity to make his mark on the international stage at the T20 World Cup, hosted in his home country, where he can showcase his prowess to the world.

CANADA

Like USA, the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 will mark the maiden appearance of Canada at the showpiece event.

However, Canada are no strangers to the big stage, having previously played the 50-over World Cup first in 1979 and then on three consecutive occasions in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

The veteran Saad Bin Zafar will captain Canada at the upcoming tournament in a side filled with experienced players, with only four players under the age of 30.

Uncapped batter Kanwarpal Tathgur, who has only played six List-A games, was a surprise inclusion in the team. Additionally, the return of pacer Jeremy Gordon and seasoned 39-year-old allrounder Junaid Siddiqui further bolsters Canada's squad depth.

Canada commence their T20 World Cup campaign on 1 June against co-hosts USA in Dallas, marking the beginning of their quest for success on the global stage.

SQUAD

Saad Bin Zafar (c), Aaron Johnson, Ravinderpal Singh, Navneet Dhaliwal, Kaleem Sana, Dilon Heyliger, Jeremy Gordon, Nikhil Dutta, Pargat Singh, Nicholas Kirton, Rayyankhan Pathan, Junaid Siddiqui, Dilpreet Bajwa, Shreyas Movva, Rishiv Joshi

KEY PLAYER - Saad Bin Zafar

Saad Bin Zafar stands as the cornerstone of Canada's campaign at the upcoming T20 World Cup, shouldering multiple responsibilities as captain, batter and bowler.

The second-most capped T20I player in the country, Saad brings with him a wealth of experience that would serve Canada greatly on the big stage.

A left-arm spinner by trait, Saad is the leading wicket-taker for Canada in T20Is with 43 scalps to his name. He is also quite handy with the bat, having scored 272 runs in 19 innings at an average of 22.66 at a strike rate of 133.99.

For Canada to have a memorable T20 World Cup debut, they will want Saad Bin Zafar to be firing on all cylinders at the upcoming tournament.