3 reasons why Australia are one of the favourites to win the T20 World Cup in 2020

The home side winning a World Cup in their own backyard was a very difficult proposition until it all changed in 2011, when India won the ODI World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Since then, Australia and England have lifted the trophies in their respective home conditions in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

All of a sudden, the pressure of playing well in front of their fans has dissipated; teams seem to have cracked the code on how to exploit their home conditions. And it looks like the trend might continue in the shortest format as well.

The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in Australia in 2020. And going by the current squad and form, the home side look like very strong contenders to lift the title - which would be their first one in this format.

Even though it's tough to predict a winner in this very short format, the increase in frequency of T20I matches has betrayed certain patterns of play by specific teams. That has made it a little easier to determine, at the very least, the top contenders for the trophy.

With that in mind, we can safely say Aaron Finch’s men look in great shape to win the World Cup next year Down Under. Here are three reasons for the same:

#1 Large grounds

Australia v Pakistan - Men's T20 Game 1

Cricket grounds in Australia are probably the biggest in the world. That is one of the primary reasons why visiting teams struggle when they tour Down Under.

The large-sized grounds suit the home side’s play. Australia have a lot of players who can muscle the ball a long way, and they also have quick runners between the wickets who can convert twos into threes - which could play a crucial factor while batting.

Fielding, a key aspect of T20, also gives the home side an advantage. The Aussie fielders possess the ability to throw flat and hard from the deep, something that very few other teams can boast of.

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#2 Powerful openers

Aaron Finch (L) and David Warner

Australia are blessed with an opening combination that’s ideal for this format. Captain Aaron Finch and David Warner complement each other incredibly well, and the fact that one is right-and the other left-handed helps them demoralize most bowling attacks.

Finch is one of the successful openers in this format, and when in form he usually carries his momentum right through the tournament. His partner in crime Warner is a more sedate batsman nowadays, as he paces his innings to perfection and also picks the right bowlers to go after.

Along with the power the openers possess, it's their ability to run quickly between the wickets that makes them extra special. Having played their cricket on bigger grounds right from a young age, these two know the angles very well and regularly convert the ones into twos, which puts pressure on the bowlers throughout.

#3 Attacking fast bowlers

Mitchell Starc

T20 cricket is not just about runs; wickets matter a lot in winning matches, as they are the best way to restrict the run-flow. Having the ability to break partnerships is an important characteristic of any successful T20 team, especially when pitted against good batting sides.

That is where Australia have the edge, as they are blessed with potent attacking fast bowlers in the form of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins. Even the supporting group of Kane Richardson and Billy Stanlake are good enough to keep chipping away with wickets.

These bowlers are not only quick but also very tall, and that can come in really handy in the bouncy Australian conditions when the batsmen are going for boundaries. Moreover, in Starc, Australia have one of the best fast bowlers in limited overs cricket; If he gets his radar right, the left-arm quick can wreak havoc against any batting line-up.