T20 World Cup: India favourites as on-field action finally gets under way

Dubai: Forget all the drama in the lead-up to the Twenty20 World Cup beginning this Saturday. For cricket aficionados, the joy of watching the slam-bang format’s explosive batters — T20 is a batter’s game, no two ways about it — will more than make up for not being able to see Asia’s heavyweight neighbours face off on February 15.

Hosts India go into this tournament as defending champions and firm favourites as they open their campaign in a night match in Mumbai against the dangerous USA, who had shocked Pakistan to make the Super Eights in the 2024 edition.

Salman Ali Agha’s side, though, have had a good run-in with a 3-0 series win against Australia and will take on the Netherlands in Colombo in the tournament’s opener. With Babar Azam back in the side and other batters too in good nick, the Men in Green will be expected to make the Super Eights with wins against the other teams including Namibia and the USA, despite potentially forfeiting points over their refusal to play against India.

The blockbuster opening day will also feature West Indies against Scotland, who replaced Bangladesh after the latter pulled out citing security concerns, in the second match in Kolkata.

India’s only worry during the build-up has been their opening combination, owing to Sanju Samson’s failure, but with Ishan Kishan successfully partnering Abhishek Sharma in the warm-up win against South Africa, a change looks likely, especially with Tilak Varma back in the side, unless India prefer to stick to the left-right combination at the top.

Skipper Surya Kumar Yadav is in roaring form again and with a plethora of all-rounders in the middle- and lower middle order, India look a well-rounded side and should ease into the Super Eight stage from Group A.

Former champions Australia and England are also strong contenders to lift the trophy and deny holders India the title for a record second straight time.

The 2021 winners Australia have been hit hard by the absence of pace spearhead Pat Cummins, who was ruled out with a lower back injury.

Pace bowler Josh Hazlewood will miss the early stages as he recovers from hamstring and Achilles injuries.

Led by Mitchell Marsh, the Australians should still ease into the next round from Group B against Ireland, who they play first on Wednesday, plus co-hosts Sri Lanka, Oman and Zimbabwe.

Harry Brook’s England, full of confidence after a 3-0 T20 series win in Sri Lanka this week, are expected to make the Super Eights from a Group C that also features two-time winners West Indies, debutants Italy, Nepal and Scotland.

England, who start with a match against Nepal on Sunday in Mumbai, won the tournament in 2010 and 2022.

Football powerhouse Italy will make an appearance at a cricket World Cup for the first time, and will kick off against the Scots in Kolkata on Monday.

South Africa, the runners-up in 2024, have never won a white ball World Cup, but are buoyed by winning the World Test Championship last year.

They will be a threat but must first emerge from a tough-looking Group D that contains dangerous opponents in New Zealand and Afghanistan.

They begin against Canada on Monday in Ahmedabad, with the UAE the other team in that group.

The top two teams from each of the four groups of five teams will advance to the Super Eights, with the top four making the semi-finals.

The tournament will conclude with the final on March 8 in Ahmedabad or Colombo, depending on whether Pakistan go that far.