2010 ICC World Twenty20 Preview - Blue Square's odds compilers preview the World 2020
Group A
Winner: 4/7 Australia, 2/1 Pakistan, 7/1 Bangladesh (odds from blue square)
Qualify: 1/14 Australia, 1/4 Pakistan, 13/8 Bangladesh (odds from blue square)
Despite Brett Lee flying home in the build up to the tournament with yet another injury, the Aussies are very much the team to beat in Group A. They have bundles of talent at their disposal seemingly in every department and will be strong favourites for both their group games. An opening combination of David Warner and Shane Watson is about as good as it gets in this format, but the guy to keep an eye on could be David Hussey, who has successfully muscled his brother Mike out of the side and will be looking to clear the boundary ropes at every opportunity throughout the tournament. Hussey is 6/1 in our Top Australian Runscorer market, and should the top two fail he’ll have every chance to take advantage batting in the middle order. Pakistan continue to let their off-field problems spill over onto the pitch and, having discarded former captains Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik, the reigning T20 champions appear to have a bit of re-building to do as they bring through some exciting youngsters. Umar Akmal is by far the classiest of the attack-minded batsmen in their ranks, but look out for Mohammad Aamer’s left-arm pace which will have batsmen hopping around the crease. Bangladesh are by no means the mugs they used to be at this level and on slow, turning wickets they might spring a surprise. If they can nick a win against Pakistan they’ll have a shot at the Super 8’s, but don’t expect the Tigers to roar beyond that, even with opener Tamim Iqbal blazing a trail throughout.
Group B
Winner: 4/7 Sri Lanka, 13/8 New Zealand, 14/1 Zimbabwe (odds from blue square)
Qualify: 1/14 Sri Lanka, 2/11 New Zealand, 2/1 Zimbabwe (odds from blue square)
Three years after their famous victory in the inaugural WorldT20, Zimbabwe turned over Australia once again during the warm-up matches. Like Bangladesh their best chance of success in this tournament will come on spinning wickets suiting the likes of Ray Price, who is 3/1 to take more wickets than his team-mates. Beaten finalists last year in England, Sri Lanka go into the tournament confident that they can defend any score with Lasith Malinga and Muttiah Muralitharan in their ranks and are worthy favourites to win the group, especially with Angelo Matthews now flourishing following a string of fine all-round performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Matthews is 6/1 to take the most wickets for his side and 12/1 to score the most runs, both of which appeal. New Zealand, on the other hand, love to chase down a score, and they will be chuffed to bits to have a fighting fit Jesse Ryder back in the team. The bad boy of NZ cricket, Ryder is an explosive batsman in every sense of the word and loves nothing more than to wrap his bat around a pitched up delivery before heading back to the pavilion to enjoy a pint or three. His runs at the top of the order will be vital but if the Black Caps are to be a force in the tournament skipper Dan Vettori will play a huge part with both bat and ball. As usual New Zealand will be under-rated coming into the tournament, so look out for some juicy prices on offer for the 2009 Champions Trophy finalists.
Group C
Winner: 10/11 South Africa, 10/11 India, 33/1 Afghanistan (odds from blue square)
Qualify: 1/50 South Africa, 1/50 India, 33/1 Afghanistan (odds from blue square)
Having stuttered his way through the majority of the IPL, Virender Sehwag’s absence from the tournament may be a blessing in disguise for the world’s most T20 mad nation. Murali Vijay steps in to open the batting which, given he was part of the victorious Chennai Super Kings team in that tournament, may not be a bad thing. Fellow Chennai team-mates MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina played a huge part in that domestic success, and at number 3 it’s Raina that looks the key man to international success this time round. Aside from Zaheer Khan, there’s not much to write home about in the Indian bowling department though, something which can’t be said about South Africa. The Proteas boast Dale Steyn, (12/1 favourite in the Top Tournament Wicket Taker market), as well as twenty20 specialists such as Charl Langeveldt and Juan Theron in their bowling line-up, and with a classy top order containing Jacques Kallis they will take some stopping in the Caribbean if they can shake off their customary “chokers” tag. Once thought of as purely a test match batsman, Kallis has re-moulded his game to suit the shorter format and only the evergreen Sachin Tendulkar scored more runs that the 34-year old all-rounder during IPL season 3. Although it’s probably unfair to label Afghanistan as making up the numbers, they very much are by all accounts. Earlier this year they emerged a tough qualifying campaign in order to get this far and are a nation emerging quickly, but don’t expect any fireworks just yet.
Group D
Winner: 10/11 West Indies, evens England, 16/1 Ireland (odds from blue square)
Qualify: 1/12 West Indies, 1/9 England, 5/2 Ireland (odds from blue square)
On their home patch the local crowd will be expecting big things from the West Indians in a format which is far more to their liking. If you can forget about their stunning defeat by Zimbabwe a couple of months ago there’s plenty to like about Chris Gayle and his troops, more so than ever these days with the addition of the new ‘KP’ – Kieron Pollard. Pollard’s exciting brand of hard hitting cricket will be a treat for all if he comes off as he did in the IPL, but the international class bowling he’ll be facing over the next couple of weeks should be a cut above what he’s been used to recently. For that reason I’d be steering well clear of the Windies, a team capable of ‘putting in a short one’ to coin a racing phrase, but that doesn’t mean I like England either, who will be depleted big time if and when Kevin Pietersen flies home to be at the birth of his child (a scenario likely to occur during the latter stages of the tournament). If the old ‘KP’ does return home, much will rest on Paul Collingwood, a man for all occasions whose favourite shot is simply anything he can line-up over cow-corner. Expect England to cruise through to the Super 8’s at least, so if there is to be a shock in the first round it could well come when a complacent home team encounter a spirited Ireland side. Keeper/batsman Niall O’Brien is more than capable of hitting big scores for the Irish at the top of the order, and if he does, don’t be surprised to see the men in green squeeze their opposition into defeat.
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