Who will win the T20 Cricket World Cup? This question arises as the biennial tournament approaches its finale on June 29. After 25 days of action, 20 teams have been whittled to four: England, South Africa, India, and Afghanistan.
Look at the four teams; you will know why India will win the tournament. They have been the dominant side in the competition, winning six of their seven matches (one was washed out). South Africa are the only other unbeaten team, but they have struggled on occasion only to win by a whisker.
India has been head and shoulders above the rest in a tournament featuring low-scoring matches. That should give them enough confidence ahead of a tricky semifinal against England.
How Indian batsmen have performed
Rohit Sharma has led the team astutely as India bowled with intent and intensity to defend even under-par scores. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been a star performer, striking lethal blows at critical junctures, while Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm leg-spin stopped Australia in their tracks. The two will undoubtedly play pivotal roles in the matches to come.
India’s batting is yet to click into high gear, but Rohit’s hurricane knock against Australia will wipe away such worries, as it helps power away in the powerplay. They will also take heart from the consistency of Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya. Virat Kohli hasn’t yet struck form, but he’s a batsman for big occasions.
Standing between India and a spot in the final are England. But the defending champions have suffered two defeats: against South Africa and Australia. That’s an indication of their fragility, although they boast of a lineup of high-quality batsmen. But their bowling has hinged mainly on Adil Rashid’s leg-spin and Jofra Archer’s pace.
South Africa should come through the other semifinal, as Afghanistan could be jittery in their semifinal debut on Thursday (June 27). Don’t bet on that. Remember, Afghanistan had survived stern examinations against New Zealand and Australia, so a flight into the final cannot be ruled out since South Africa tend to choke on big occasions.
Who will play the final?
A win against England should put India in the final against South Africa or Afghanistan. If India can win all their matches, the final too should go their way.
Forget the law of averages. Forget the ODI World Cup loss. June 29 is a new day. A day that will crown India as T20 world champions.
