ICC World T20 2016: Experts' picks

Cricket writers on Sportskeeda have made their picks for the upcoming ICC World T20 in four categories: champions, semi-finalists, biggest disappointments, and player of the tournament.

#1 Champions

Ritwik Mallik: It’s fair to be conservative about this and go with India as eventual champions. There’s no other team in the tournament that looks as complete and ready-to-fire as the Men in Blue do. The team has all key areas covered – a starry top-order, an experienced middle order and hard-hitting finishers. To add to this, India have one of the best bowling attacks in operation currently. Also, don’t forget the home crowd support that can build a lot of pressure on the opposition in crunch scenarios.

Ayush Sharma: India are most likely to end up as the champions when the tournament ends. In a format like T20 which is full of uncertainties, if a team wins 10 out of their last 11 matches then that team has to be a strong contender for the World Cup. What makes India more formidable is that they are playing at home. A team with a strong batting unit, a couple of hard-hitting all-rounders, brilliant spinners and effective seamers, it won't be a surprise to see MS Dhoni lift the trophy for the second time.

Deeptesh Sen: It is well-known that India will start the tournament as firm favourites. Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty and in T20s, it is even more difficult to predict a winner. But India stand out because of their current form and their familiarity with sub-continental conditions. India have a good blend of youth and experience in their side.

Siddartha Khandelwal: This might raise more than a few eyebrows, but I am going for a surprise pick for the cup this time - England. Apart from India, England probably have the most settled side in the tournament. In Hales and Roy, they have one of the most destructive opening pairs in world cricket complemented ably by Joe Root at one drop. The presence of Ben Stokes, easily the best all-rounder in world cricket right now and Moeen Ali make England the most balanced side of the tournament. Whilst they lack a genuine pace spearhead, they more than make up for it with an imposing batting line-up and over-the-top aggressive approach to the game.

Yash Asthana: It is difficult to look beyond the Indian team as the tournament favourites for the 2016 edition of the World T20. With a settled and balanced playing XI and excellent T20 form in recent months in the Asia Cup, and series against Australia and Sri Lanka and also having the home advantage, India should be able to repeat their feat from 2011 of winning a World Cup on home soil.

Shankar Narayan: India have a firing top 3, followed by a middle-order that is among the runs and a bowling attack that looks balanced with 3 quicks and 2 spinners. This makes the Men in Blue a force to reckon with and one of the few teams across both groups who don't need to ponder over the balance of the side.

Elliot Cornish: The tournament’s first champions India will become the first team to secure a second. Home advantage should suit them well, as it did in the 2011 World Cup, and their spinners will enable them to put a chokehold on their opposition in the crucial middle overs. The batting looks in decent shape after recently nailing a sixth Asia Cup triumph, and providing they settle into the tournament well, they will become increasingly difficult to stop as it progresses.

Thiviyanthan Krishnamohan: India have a well-balanced side and possess the best spin bowling attack in the tournament, that is not to mean their pace bowling is any less lethal.

Ishan Sen: Home conditions, a rejuvenated line-up, a few surprise packages in the team - this World T20 is definitely India's to lose. They have won 10 of their last 11 encounters and that's hardly surprising given the flexible batting order which can chase anything under the sun. The death bowling has improved and Bumrah must be cracking his knuckles, waiting to have a go at the unsuspecting opposition.

Sarah Waris: Unpredictability is the nature of T20s, but the consistency shown by India in this format in the last 3 months makes the ICC World T20 India's tournament to lose. The openers and Virat Kohli are in the form of their lives while the spin duo of Ashwin and Jadeja are expected to cash in on the home advantage being provided. With 10 wins in the last 11 T20Is played in 2016 and big checks against all the boxes, including seam bowling, MS Dhoni's team are the fore contenders to seal their second T20 crown at Eden Gardens on 3rd April.

Srikant KK: I do believe that India can match the high expectations and win the World T20 for the second time in its history. The squad is well balanced, they are used to the conditions, the format and the team is in superb nick. Dhoni looks like he is getting back to his best and so is Yuvraj and those are two match-­winners that any team will envy. The arrival of Bumrah and Pandya also seem to have covered the two areas where India were lacking considerably before – a good death bowler and a fast­ bowling all­-rounder.

#2 Semi-finalists

Ritwik Mallik: I’ll stick my neck out and start with an unconventional call. It’s seldom that Bangladesh are touted as one of the contenders of a major cricket competition – but this year it’s going to be different. With a rich vein of form behind them, the Bangla Tigers have never been as big a force to reckon with as they are, heading into the Super 10 stage. The other three semi-finalists would be England (for their limited overs resurgence), South Africa (for the sheer strength of its match-winners) and India (as explained earlier).

Ayush Sharma: From Group A, South Africa seem to be the best team by a distance. The second semi-finalists from this group, in my opinion, will be England. The new look English side has two quality spinners, destructive batsmen in Buttler, Morgan and Hales and they can surely usurp other teams in their group. India seem to be the obvious choice for the semi-finals from Group B and the firepower of Australia’s batting line-up makes them my second semi-finalists from Group B.

Deeptesh Sen: I will choose India, Australia, South Africa and West Indies as the four possible semi-finalists. India are in great form and will enjoy home support. Australia have some very powerful batsmen and they will be hungry to win their maiden World T20 trophy. South Africa have already made a purposeful start by beating India in their warm-up match. They have a well-settled outfit and batsmen like AB de Villiers can make a difference. West Indies will be missing some of their key players but they remain one of the favourites as they boast of plenty of all-rounders and T20 specialists in their ranks.

Siddartha Khandelwal: I expect the event to go on as planned up to the semi-finals with India, Australia, South Africa and England making it to the knockout stage. While India are favourites to top their group, the winner of England and South Africa will decide who tops their group.

Yash Asthana: Apart from India, I expect New Zealand, England and South Africa to progress to the semi-finals. While the retirement of Brendon McCullum is a big loss for the Kiwis, the Kane Williamson-side is well balanced with players who are ideal for the T20 format and will be hungry for success after the disappointment of losing last year’s World Cup final. In the other group, the English have a very exciting squad with many players finding form at the right time for the event, while the Proteas also have a talented group of players who bring in their experience of playing T20s in India.

Thiviyanthan Krishnamohan: South Africa beat India in a warm-up game, and that together with most of their players’ familiarity with Indian conditions would help them do well. West Indies will have ‘home’ advantage against most sides and the presence of Samuel Badree will bolster their spin bowling. Bangladesh have been performing well as a unit, which is one of the key things in T20 and might help them prevail over the individual brilliance of their opponents.

Ishan Sen: India and Australia are the obvious choices while the remaining two slots will go to South Africa and England. Things look especially difficult for the New Zealand, with the departure of Brendan McCullum and a fresh team that's not quite acquainted with subcontinental conditions.

Sarah Waris: India and New Zealand are expected to finish in the top 2 from Group B, which also comprises Pakistan, whose batting fails to complement their bowling, the resurgent Bangladesh, who can pull off an upset but aren't likely to proceed further and Australia, who have shown more inclinations in playing the other formats of the game. From Group A, South Africa are clear favourites to top the table, with West Indies surging ahead of England to the semi-final spot in what is seen as a relatively easier group.

Srikant KK: South Africa, West Indies, India and Pakistan are my four picks for the semi­finals stage. As I mentioned earlier, everything seems to be falling in place for MS Dhoni's men and home conditions are sure to accelerate their charge. South Africa have a number of players who feature regularly in the IPL and the Proteas' T20 series triumph over India not so long back is enough proof to show that they are adept to playing in Indian conditions. West Indies are an altogether different proposition in the T20 format and like the Proteas, have a number of players who are fan favourites in the IPL. The selection of Pakistan is sure to raise some eyebrows, but I do believe the unpredictability of Pakistan cricket will be on full show during the World T20.

#3 Biggest disappointments

Ritwik Mallik: Pakistan to me, look as the potential biggest disappointments heading into the competition. The fracas surrounding their security clearance has ensured that they don’t get that extra warm-up game to get set before the Super 10s begin. Additionally, barring the Pakistan Super League to some extent, the players haven’t been exposed to high-intensity contests (including the IPL) in the recent past – making them vulnerable to pressure in tight contests. The batting looks fallible and the fielding seems weak. How long can a team just depend on its bowlers?

Ayush Sharma: The defending World T20 champions look like the most likely candidate to be the biggest disappointments in this edition. Sri Lanka are struggling to find replacements for Jayawardene and Sangakkara and with Malinga still in the cloud of injury, Sri Lanka don't seem even a shadow of the team they were in the last edition. I would be highly surprised if Sri Lanka reach the semi-finals of this edition.

Deeptesh Sen: I think Bangladesh might turn out to be the biggest disappointments in the tournament. Let me explain my stance. Pakistan and Sri Lanka come into the tournament with inexperienced, out of form sides and no one will be expecting much from them. But given the form they are in, it will be a big disappointment if Bangladesh do not make it into the semi-finals. With a settled side including good batsmen, power-hitters and all-rounders, Bangladesh are no longer minnows but the team to beat in sub-continental conditions. But I have a gut feeling that the big guns might just edge past them into the semis.

Siddartha Khandelwal: Bangladesh - After having reached the Asia Cup final getting the better of their Lankan and Pakistani counterparts, one may expect the Tigers to do well in the main event. However, I believe they will go home without a single win in the main draw, comprehensively beaten by all four teams.

Yash Asthana: The Australian team are chasing their first World T20 tournament win, and many consider the side to be among the favourites. However, I expect them to be eliminated after the group stage – just like in 2014 where they had an unceremonious early exit. The Aussies find themselves in a tough Super 10 group alongside India, Pakistan, New Zealand and Bangladesh and the absence of Mitchell Starc and not having a settled playing XI is likely to mean that the Aussies will have to wait longer for World T20 glory.

Shankar Narayan: The ones who I think will fail to rise to the occasion will be Sri Lanka. The defending champions enter into this year’s competition with not just a lack of experience in the middle-order with regards to their batting but surrounded by issues regarding captaincy with Angelo Matthews replacing Lasith Malinga as the skipper. There are also doubts over Malinga’s availability in the early stages of the competition and if declared unfit, then that would certainly compound issues for the Lankans.

Elliot Cornish: Seemingly an obvious pick with their notorious reputation for underperforming at ICC events, but South Africa will come up short once again. Pre-tournament hype suggests they are confident of a decent run, but that’s all it is: hype. While Imran Tahir should make hay, the rest of the bowling may struggle on Indian pitches, putting excess pressure on a batting lineup that isn’t overly stacked, despite the might of AB de Villiers. They will fall in the Super 10s.

Thiviyanthan Krishnamohan: The defending champions, Sri Lanka, are at the risk of being knocked out of the first round and even surmounting Afghanistan seems like a herculean task to them.

Ishan Sen: Coming to the major disappointment section, I cannot look beyond South Africa in a multination tournament. Yes, de Villiers is a superhuman and du Plessis can turn on the heat anytime, but you can always trust the Proteas in the knockout stages to do what they are known to do best - choke.

Sarah Waris: Australia with Aaron Finch, David Warner, Shane Watson, Steve Smith, James Faulkner, Glenn Maxwell and the promising Usman Khwaja will walk into any T20 team on any given day, making them one of the most formidable batting units. However, the Kangaroos will find it tough in conditions where the ball will keep low and slow.

Srikant KK: Many former cricketers have put their weight behind Australia as one of the favourites for the World T20, but I beg to differ. The batting department looks well assured as was evident in the series against South Africa where they chased down huge totals in the final two matches. But they lack experienced bowlers and will definitely miss the guile of Mitchell Starc, especially in the death overs. The lack of a quality spinner is also likely to hurt the Aussies as they might just get undone in pressure situations.

#4 Player of the Tournament

Ritwik Mallik: The batsmen are sure to be the toast of the tournament considering how skewed the format is in favour of those with a bat in hand. However, a tournament of this scale can only be won by a team with a solid set of bowlers. India’s rising star, Jasprit Bumrah is the X-factor of the competition and might very well end as the Player of the Tournament. He can bowl upfront with the new ball, and can serve his team wonderfully well with yorkers in the death; surely the player to watch out for.

Ayush Sharma: 41*, 56, 49, 7, 50, 59*, 90. These are the recent T20I scores of Virat Kohli. He is surely in the form of his life in the shortest form of the game. In conditions that he is playing in since childhood, he will be a force to reckon with this World Cup. Also with the Indian team in red-hot form, he will surely get to play a lot of matches which increases the likelihood of him being the player of the tournament.

Deeptesh Sen: Virat Kohli is in the form of his life and India will be heavily relying upon him in this tournament. Chris Gayle remains one of the finest hitters of the cricket ball and can take a match away from the opposition in the matter of a few overs. But at the end of the day, my choice will be AB de Villiers because of his incredible hitting prowess, skill and versatility. He can hit any delivery to any part of the ground and makes an absolute mockery of the bowling attack when he is on song. He will be the player to watch out for in this tournament.

Siddartha Khandelwal: AB de Villiers may not have the best T20I record coming into the tournament, but the world has seen what he can do on the big stage in the World Cup last year. Expect the South African to start off from where he left it last year and be the most valuable player of the gala affair.

Yash Asthana: Virat Kohli’s brilliant form has been instrumental in India’s recent success in the T20 format and is my pick for the prediction of the Player of the Tournament award (which would be his second successive award after winning it in the 2014 edition). The only batsman to average in excess of 50 in the T20I format (no one else averages more than 40!), Kohli will look to continue his excellent run-scoring form into the World T20 and achieve glory at home.

Shankar Narayan: He has been one of India’s main men in the last 12-15 months and I expect Ravichandran Ashwin to be the standout performer in the competition. With conditions assisting him, the off-spinner will be a major threat to all batsman and I think he will take home the player of the series award.

Elliot Cornish: This is the first time the global spotlight will be on Mohammad Amir since his return, and he is in perfect shape to deliver. The 24-year-old is bamboozling opponents with his significant and well-directed swing, which was illustrated no better than in his hair-raising spell against India in the Asia Cup. If Pakistan have a strong tournament, it will be Amir who leads the charge. Expect his outings to be thrilling, devastating and worthy of being awarded Player of the Tournament.

Thiviyanthan Krishnamohan: The two-year gap between the tournaments doesn’t seem to have affected Virat Kohli and he will continue from where he left at the WT20 in 2014. His consistency is one of India’s biggest strengths.

Ishan Sen: Half of Australia's formidable batting line-up appear lucrative (Smith, Finch, Maxwell and Warner are all worthy options), but I am willing to put my money on Virat Kohli anyway. He brings to the tournament sublime form, and with India being the favourites for being the first team to lift the trophy twice, Kohli should have enough time in the middle to smash a few records.

Sarah Waris: MS Dhoni's trump card Ravichandran Ashwin has been India's best bowler since 2015, picking up 106 wickets across the three formats. Ashwin's variations through the air, especially during the powerplay overs, makes him one of the biggest threats in this tournament. In the 10 T20I games played this year, the off-spinner has snatched up 17 wickets at an economy of less than 6. With pitches across the country expected to stay true to their character and Ashwin's wicket-taking skills, he is my Player of the Tournament.

Srikant KK: Ravichandran Ashwin is in the form of his life and has been having a superb time for close to a year now. The World T20 could well turn out to be the icing on the cake for the intelligent off­spinner. The conditions are tailor-made for him, he has the backing of the skipper and he seems to have won over his detractors as well. He is getting wiser by the day and the fact that the other Indian bowlers are chipping in is only going to help the 30-­year-­old.